Army seeks N1bn to boost its vehicle manufacturing firm

(NAN)The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Saturday, said the Nigerian Army would source N1 billion to support its Vehicle Manufacturing Company (NAVMC).

Buratai said this at the Army’s Fire Power Demonstration at Camp Kabala Range, Jaji, marking the end of a week-long COAS Conference and CAT Week 2019.

“We are already sourcing for the sum of N1billion  to support the NAVMC. You will be taken along.

“We have an investment in the army that has been generating some amount of money.

“We will take a loan from there to support NAVMC, so that they will be able to realize our dream of producing indigenous armored fighting vehicles and to continue to maintain our existing equipment,” Buratai said.

According to him, the new inventions and acquisition to the Army are force multipliers.

He noted that the conference had brought everybody together to access what had so far been achieved in the the first quarter of 2019.

“The innovations by the Nigerian Army in the areas of equipment production, localising and bringing back vehicle and equipment, were hitherto abandoned.

Resuscitating them is another major achievement that we have recorded.

“As you have been promised by the Group Managing Director of NAVMC, in the next three to four months, we should have a brand new vehicle, originally produced by the Nigerian Army for use  in the army.

They are also for services of the general public that may find it useful, especially the paramilitary agencies.”

“This, we believe, will transform the Nigerian Army and Nigerian industrial companies, by the time we start mass production,” he said.

“I have said it before, military equipment are never obsolete. With maintenance culture of the military globally,  vehicles and equipment of the second world war are useful in many parts of the world,” he said.

Gov. Nasir El-Rufia of Kaduna State, who was the special guest of honour at the event, commended the military for securing the state and the country at large .

The governor, who was represented by  his Deputy,  Bala  Bantex, said the Nigerian Army could not afford to lag behind in battle preparedness.

“The Nigerian Army is in better position, and capacity, to contain any form of threat within and outside Nigeria.”