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The Defence Minister, Air Marshal Monsur Dan-Ali and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar, yesterday night departed for Russia to purchase vital military hardware needed to sustain the tempo of aggression against the terrorists.
The duo left for Moscow to inspect the war planes ordered by Nigeria in order to give the Boko Haram elements a final putsch and ensure they never harassed any community once such an area is cleared .
Specifically, the top brass officials left Abuja to purchase two Mi-35 Attack Helicopters and 10 Mushak Super Trainers from Russia.
According to the source, which pleaded for anonymity, “this is towards the commencement of re-equipping of the Nigerian military. This time, government wants to ensure that Boko Haram insurgents never return to any community once they are flushed out.
“The military will utilise these war planes to carry out reconnaissance missions and rescue operations and also provide needed aerial support to our troops. What happened in the last dispensation is gradually being surmounted.
“Because of the current successes recorded against Boko Haram, they have not just been degraded but the morale of the officers and men fighting in the war theatre is very high”.
Nigeria suffered severe international military blockade since the insurgents began their debilitating activities leading to the take-over of more than 12 local government areas in the North-East geo-political zone.
Also, efforts made by the military authorities during the President Goodluck Jonathan administration to purchase needed ammunition were frustrated, leading to sourcing of arms from the black market and the consequent embarrassment to the country.
