The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai has reiterated that the Nigerian Army will remain loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari.
He spoke while on a working visit to the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) in Kaduna, adding that Nigerian Armed forces, especially, the Army, will consolidate on the existing success and look inward for military hardware required to win the battle.
“The Nigerian Army is on course to becoming self-sufficient in the production of arms, ammunition and other military hardware for the country’s Armed Forces. President Muhammadu Buhari had in 2019 directed the Ministry of Defence to articulate a proposal for the establishment of a military-industrial complex that would produce weapons and other equipment for the country’s Armed Forces thereby reducing reliance on reluctant foreign suppliers,” he said.
Buratai said they have since been working in that line while the Nigerian Army is on course to achieving the mandate.
He assured President Muhammadu Buhari of the army’s absolute loyalty to secure Nigerian territorial integrity, adding that Nigerian Army and the Armed Forces will always support his programmes.
“We will build on our successes. Through collaboration with other military formations, the Nigerian army will continue to invest in research in order to develop weapons to meet the country’s defence needs.”
The Director-General of DICON, Major General Victor Ezugwu said, on the occasion that the country’s military-industrial complex was not relenting in carrying out the presidential directives on the provision of quality military hardware that meet the global standard.
“DICON was established in 1964 to meet the material requirement needs of the Nigerian Armed Forces, a mandate the company has been working towards as evident in designs and productions of military hardware including EZUGWU MRAP, guns, bullets, ballistic vests and helmets among others,” he said.
Source: Vanguard