Sola Ojo, Kaduna
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, on Thursday commissioned multiple projects at the Command Engineering Depot, Kaduna.
The projects are A&C Vehicles Assembly’ Plant, Smart Factory, Officers Transit Accommodation and Soldiers Accommodation at Command Engineering Depot, aimed at improving the capabilities and proficiencies of the force in dealing with emerging security threats.
Represented by the Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Major General Jamil Sarham, the Army Chief was happy that eight locally combat vehicles called EZUGWU had been inducted into various ongoing military operations.
“I am highly delighted to inform our auspicious guests that 8 units of EZUGWU had been inducted into Operation LAFIYA DOLE and Operation SAHEL SANITY.
“The vehicles have significantly improved our capability to defeat our common adversary, Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province,” he said.
He continued, “Kaduna is a clear testament to the unprecedented commitment of the Nigerian Army (NA) to building the industrial capacity of CED to undertake in-depth Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) as well as to provide befitting accommodation for our personnel.
“Today, one of the greatest challenges facing the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) and other security agencies is an outright reliance on importation of defence logistics from allies.
”Accordingly, President Mohammadu Buhari GCFR posits that Nigeria’s dependence on other countries for critical military equipment is unacceptable, the country must evolve a viable mechanism for near self-sufficiency in military equipment and logistics production.
“The NA, therefore, initiated collaboration among CED, Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) and Buffalo Engineering and Technical Services Limited (BETSL) to produce locally made EZUGWU Mine Resistant Ambush Protected which was unveiled by the President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR on 3 Dec 19,” he said.
The COAS said that additional, defence logistic requirements produced through this collaboration include Light Armoured Tactical Vehicle, Special Patrol Vehicle, Mobile Field Bakery and Mobile Borehole Drilling Machine among others.
“Succinctly, these platforms are aiding the NA to perform its constitutional roles across all spectra of warfare such as the ongoing Counterinsurgency (COIN) operations in the North East and other operations.
“Additionally, the NA learnt a major battle-winning concept from the current COIN operations which is the impact of RDI on warfare,” he stressed.