Buratai says Nigerian Army remains focused to tackle security challenges

From: Femi Oyelola, kaduna

The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai has reassured President Muhammadu Buhari of the Nigerian Army’s loyalty to address security challenges bedevilling the country.
He gave the assurance during a working visit to the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) yesterday in Kaduna.
According to him, the Nigerian Armed forces, especially, the Army, will consolidate on the existing success and look inward for military hardware require to win the battle.
Buratai noted that 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.
According to the Army Chief, “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.
“We have since been working in that line and I can tell Nigerians that, the Nigerian Army is on course to achieving the mandate.
“I assure President Muhammadu Buhari of the army’s absolute loyalty to secure Nigerian territorial integrity. 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.”
Earlier, the Director-General of DICON, Major General Victor Ezugwu said, the country’s military-industrial complex is 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.