Nigeria has ordered helicopters from Turkey

Defense Minister Alhaji Mohammed Badaru and Air Force Chief of Staff Hassan Abubakar arrived in Turkey to accelerate the delivery of T-129 ATAK helicopters for the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

The Federal government has purchased six T-129 ATAK helicopters from the Turkish aerospace industry, two of which are to be delivered to NAF in the coming weeks, and the remaining four units by the end of the second quarter of 2024.

Badaru and Abubakar visited a number of Turkish arms manufacturing companies, including Turkish Aerospace Industries, MKE, Aselsan and Roketsan to establish cooperation. The Defense Minister called on these companies to transfer defense technologies to Nigeria.

Edward Gabquet, Director of Public Relations and Information at NAF, said that at a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Yasar Guler, he agreed on the comprehensive support that Nigeria needs "to strengthen and accelerate the victory over terrorism and other criminal challenges."

Earlier, France and Nigeria launched joint naval exercises in the Gulf of Guinea. The operation aimed at ensuring maritime security will last four months. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed support for Nigeria as the main member of ECOWAS in the event of its invasion of Niger, where a coup took place in July.