The Representative of the President of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Andrei Averianov, on Monday, 28 April 2025, paid a courtesy visit to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.
During the visit, Lt Gen Averianov described the engagement as a memorable day in the history of the Russian Federation, expressing appreciation to the CDS and the Nigerian military for their warm hospitality. He acknowledged that while it has been 80 years since Russia fought against Nazism, today’s global security landscape is increasingly shaped by asymmetric threats such as Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram.
Highlighting Russia’s ongoing security operations against 39 adversary nations, Lt Gen Averianov said his country had developed new methods and capabilities, which it is willing to share with Nigeria to bolster its counter-insurgency efforts. On behalf of President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Minister of Defence, he pledged Russia’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s fight against terrorism, noting Nigeria’s strategic importance as a regional power.
Lt Gen Averianov also affirmed Russia’s readiness to supply the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) with a full range of weaponry and assistance, stating that Russia had been closely observing Nigeria’s counterterrorism strategies and considers the two countries as “brothers-in-arms.”
In his remarks, General Musa, on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian Armed Forces, welcomed the Russian delegation and underscored the longstanding ties between the two nations. He emphasized the importance of sustained partnerships, particularly in the areas of training, operations, and logistics support.
The CDS called for enhanced exchanges of instructors and students between both countries to strengthen training in special operations. He also outlined the Nigerian military’s needs, including special boats, fast attack crafts, amphibious training, maintenance of Russian-made platforms, and surveillance capabilities.
General Musa further requested Russia’s assistance in providing spare parts and deploying technical experts for the maintenance of Nigeria’s Russian-origin military equipment. Alternatively, he suggested arrangements for the backloading of unserviceable equipment to Russia for repairs.
The CDS also appealed for improved intelligence sharing, particularly given Russia’s operational experience in regions such as the Sahel.
General Musa expressed gratitude to the delegation for personally delivering equipment and deploying a team of experts to assist in testing, affirmed that Russia had fulfilled its commitments to Nigeria.
The visit marked a significant step in strengthening military cooperation between Nigeria and Russia amid evolving global security threats.
