Nigeria-Russia cooperation won’t bring obsolete military equipment into the country- Magashi

By YANGE IKYAA

The minister of defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd), has assured Nigerians of the government’s commitment to flushing out criminal elements from troubled spots in parts of the country, explaining further that the recently renewed Nigeria-Russia military cooperation agreement won’t bring obsolete military equipment into the country.

Gen. Magashi stated this while briefing chairman and members of the House of Representatives committee on defence regarding the military technical cooperation agreement he signed last month in Moscow between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Russian Federation.

He said the five-year Memorandum of Understanding signed in Moscow between the two countries was sequel to the expiration of the
2001 to 2006 military technical cooperation agreement, which he scored its performance very high to warrant its renewal this year.

The defence minister, who explained that the legal document ab initio took cognisance of national interests vis- a- vis the operational needs assessment, said there was no cause for alarm.

He briefed the Babajimi Benson led committee on defence that the 8 – point articles of agreement cover acquisition of modern equipment to strengthen the capabilities of the nation’s fighting forces in the various theaters, as well as the training of military officers and personnel, among other core areas addressed in the document.

The committee chairman, Babajimi Benson, had earlier sought clarifications from the minister of defence on the benefits derivable from the MoU between Nigeria and Russia towards actualizing the national aspiration to end insurgency, banditry and kidnapping, as well as its likely impact on technology transfer to empower the Defence Industrial Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), to which the minister assured of a win-win deal.

Magashi’s visit to the National Assembly was in response to the invitation by the house committee on defence to brief chairman and members on the bilateral military technical cooperation agreement between Nigeria and Russia.