Russia will supply 12 attack helicopters to Nigeria following a military deal struck in Sochi recently.

Russia and Nigeria sign a deal that will booster the West African nation’s resolve to defeat insurgents and bandits in the country.

A senior official at Russia’s federal military-technical cooperation service told the RIAnews agency that Moscow has agreed to supply 12 Mi-35 attack helicopters to Nigeria.


President Muhammadu Buhari and Vladmir Putin meet in Sochi, Russia (Tolu Ogunlesi, Presidency)

President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria and Russian President Vladmir Putin held bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa summit and agreed to strengthen relations between both nations.

Russia is pushing for clout and influence on the African continent and sees Nigeria and South Africa--the two biggest economies in the region--as good places to start.