Nigeria has initiated moves to deploy Turkish technology in its campaign against terrorists, bandits and kidnappers, it was learnt yesterday.
Such technology includes drones and military hardware.
Turkey, which had in the past had similar security challenges like Nigeria, is known to be a key manufacturer of hand and shotguns; snipper and antimaterial; anti-terror weapons; armoured vehicles as well as unmanned aircraft and vehicles.
Senior Special Assistant to the President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, who gave the hint, said a team from the Turkish Defense Establishment would meet its Nigerian counterpart in Abuja in January, next year for discussions on “military procurements” and equipment manufacturing.
Buhari arrived from Turkey yesterday after attending the third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit in Istanbul last week.
In a statement, Garba explained that the visit by the Turkish Defence team would be a follow-up to the engagements by heads of security and intelligence of both countries during the President’s visit.
The statement titled: ‘Takeaways From President Buhari’s Epic Visit to Turkey,’ reads in part: “Turkish technology, be they drones or even through the supply or manufacture of military ordinance in Nigeria, will surely quicken the process and efforts to rid the country of pockets of terrorists and the menace of kidnappers and bandits.
Support in fight against insecurity
“Flowing from the meeting of leaders, the heads of our defence and security establishments were afforded long engagements with their Turkish counterparts. The meetings took time to reflect on what Nigeria needs to overcome the problem of insecurity.
“These issues revolved around the use of technology to fight crime, something that everyone is doing, and so why not Nigeria.
“As we go into January next year, a team from the Turkish Defence establishment is expected to be in Nigeria in the effort to advance the discussions on the issue of military procurement.”
Shehu also said Turkey will have the opportunity to halt the activities of need to certain Turkish elements in Nigeria, who are perceived as threats to its national security.
His words: “The national security component equally has a Turkish angle to it and one that turned to be one of the gains, in the sense that both countries have a common view of what Turkey perceives as a security threat to their nation and its leaders present in Nigeria.
“This is about some Turkish investments, schools, and hospitals associated with an opposition figure linked to the abortive coup and attempted assassination of President Recep Erdogan”
