Polish weapon manufacturer Fabryka Broni Lucznik recently delivered 500 Beryl M762 assault rifles to Nigeria. Manufacturer did not confirm the value of this contract.
However, Nigeria Ministry of Defense documents contain budgeted plans to purchase the mentioned 500 rifles. According to this source, $605,000 was budgeted for this purchase. Weapons will be used by Nigerian Air Force (NAR) soldiers and this is the third delivery of this type of rifle to Nigeria. Altogether, 2,000 of Beryl M762 had been shipped to Africa already.
1500 Beryl M762 assault rifles chambered in 7.62×39 mm were sent to Nigeria in 2015 by Arms Factory. Rifles are used mostly by elite Nigerian Armed Forces 72th Mobile Strike Force unit, combating Boko Harram organization .
The first batch of Beryl M762 rifles reached Nigerian Land Forces in February 2015. Delivery of 1,000 rifles, together with repair kits, was the final step of 2014 contract between Lucznik and Nigerian Army. Delivery of second, smaller batch (500 units), had also been negotiated at the time.
Representatives of Fabryka Broni factory visited Nigeria in 2015 and conducted training in use of Polish rifles. Course was attended by both regular and special units of Nigerian military. Most of delivered weapons was given to commando soldiers of 72th Mobile Strike Force (72 MSF). This elite unit is based in the north of the country and regulary takes part in operations against Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād (known as Boko Harram) combatants.
Another contract was concluded at the beginning of 2015 and covered supply of 500 Beryl M762 rifles chambered in 7.62×39 mm and 10 Mini Beryl M556 carbines fed in 5.56×45 mm ammunition (the Beryl M556 is an export version of wz. 96C Mini Beryl carbine, used by the Polish Army). Deliveries for this contract were effected at the end of June 2015.
M762 Beryl is a modified version of wz. 96C Beryl assault rifle, introduced to Polish Army in 2009. The only difference is the ammunition – M762 is chambered in 7.62×39 mm, rather than 5.56×45 mm. Rifles delivered to Nigeria were equipped with telescopic stock, hanguard MIL-STD-1913 rail system, ergonomic pistol grips and enlarged controls for magazine release and safety. Weapons are sold with four 30-round magazines and a bayonet.
Nigeria is interested in further rifle purchases and in manufacturing cooperation with Lucznik Arms Factory. Moreover, Nigerian Armed Forces wish to buy realistic training replicas – Beryl ASG RRT. These electric-pneumatic weapons fire a 6-mm plastic bullets and can be used by military academy students for training purposes.
© 2021, GDC. © GDC and www.globaldefensecorp.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.globaldefensecorp.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.