We need N1bn to produce war vehicles, says Buratai – TheNigerialawyer

The Nigerian Army is sourcing for N1billion to boost capacity of
its vehicle manufacturing company to produce more combat vehicles
to counter terrorists and other insurgents, the Chief of Army
Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has said.

Nigeria has recently been bedeviled by different forms of
insurgencies; Boko Haram, kidnapping, armed banditry, armed robbery
and cattle rustling. But demonstration of locally made bullet proof
ballistic vest, NA Armoured Light Tactical Vehicle and mine sweeper
produced by the Nigerian Army Vehicle Manufacturing Company (NAVMC)
showed that the military will soon be better equipped to stem the
challenge.

Addressing the closing ceremony of the Nigerian Army Combat Arms
Training Week on Saturday at the shooting range of Nigerian Army
Infantry Corp, Jaji, Buratai noted that Nigerian Army new
inventions and acquisitions are force multipliers, hence the fund
will improve the equipping and capacity of the Army.

“The innovations by the Nigerian Army in the areas of equipment
production, localizing and bringing back vehicles and equipment
that are hitherto abandoned, is another major achievement that we
recorded.

“You have been promised by the group managing director of NAVMC
that in the next three to four months, we should have brand new
vehicles originally produced by the Nigerian Army for use in the
Army and the general public that may find it useful, especially the
paramilitary agencies. This we believe will transform the Nigerian
Army and Nigerian industrial companies, when we start mass
production.

“We are already sourcing for the sum of N1billion to support the
Nigerian Army Vehicle Manufacturing Company. We a have a number of
investments in the Army that have been generating huge amount of
money and we will take a loan from there to support Nigerian Army
Vehicle Manufacturing Company to realize our dream of producing
indigenous armoured fighting vehicles and to continue to maintain
our existing equipment.

“Military equipment are never obsolete, with maintenance culture
of the military globally, vehicles and equipment of the Second
World War are still useful in other parts of the world. The
firepower demonstration today is the last activity of the combined
Combat Arms Training Week (CATWEEK) and the Chief of Army Staff 1st
Quarter Conference.

“This Conference has brought us together to assess what we have
so far achieved in the the first quarter of 2019,” the COAS
added.

The Acting Governor of Kaduna state, Arch. Barnabas Bala Bantex
commended the military and the police on their efforts to ensure
peace in the state. ‘The Nigerian Army and Police have helped to
keep Nigeria and Kaduna safe. They have helped in combating
terrorism, armed banditry, kidnapping and other forms of
insecurity.”

Bantex, who admitted to enjoying the show of force and display
of prototype vehicles and fire power, added that with what he saw,
“the Nigerian Army is in better position and capable of containing
all forms of threat both from within and outside our
territory.”

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