Nigeria turns to China for military supplies

China has become a key military supplier to Nigeria as the African nation seeks to protect the oil-rich Niger Delta from insurgency in the face of dwindling US support, the Financial Times reported. With the US having only supplied four of the 200 patrol boats Nigeria needs to police the delta, it has been said that Beijing is ready to help make up the shortfall. This comes after China secured a US$250 million deal to supply 12 fighter planes to the country last year. PetroChina signed a US$800 million agreement with Nigeria for 30,000 barrels of oil per day while China National Offshore Oil Corp has agreed to pay US$2.3 billion for part of an offshore oil block.