From Garba Isiyaku

The Chief of Army Staff, Mr. General TY Buratai, has stressed the need to sustain investment research and development on military hardware to reduce over dependence on importation and logistics in general to show up and sustain military capabilities toward mitigating contemporary security challenges.

Speaking on the special Nigeria army day at the 2019 Abuja international trade Fair in Abuja, General Buratai said,

“There is the need to sustain investment research and development on military hardware to reduce over defendant on importation and logistics in general to show up and sustain military capabilities toward mitigating contemporary security challenges.

“The Nigeria army therefore directed the command engineering deport  collaborate with the defense industry corporation of Nigeria on research and development and equally funded there inovative idea to produce a number of product display here today.

“Some of these products include the Mind resistance ambush protected, life tactical amor vehicle, the infantry patrol vehicle, the mobile borehole drilling machine, the fueless generator, the mine roller and tractor.”

He expressed delight to the unequivocal state that all these products were fabricated by Nigerians  without foreign technical partners.

He added that this lays a solid foundation for future consolidation on local production of military hardware, stressing that it would similarly reduce the intractable of a defendant on importation of defense logistics and the sustainance of local capacity for production.

General Buratai emphasized, “Consequently, the Nigerian army has established University in Biu, continually sponsor officers and soldiers on post graduate studies on robotics, automobile, software engineering, ICT and weapons system among others in both over seas and local institutions.

“Additionally the Nigerian army  is collaborating with Nigerian Universities and research institutions on research and development of defense logistics.

“Plans are also underway to establish a smart factory at the command engineering deport at least this major’s together with contributions with other talented Nigerias will poster the much needed technological breakthrough in our country.”

In his remarks, the minister of science and technology, Chief Ogbonna Onu said Nigeria was destined to be a great nation, adding that President Muhammad Buhari is committed to make a solid foundationfor the greatness of the country.

He said the only way to achieve this is to attain self reliance, stressing that it is critical on the national security. “We have seen the problems that confronted us as a nation when the insurgency in the north east was at it peak and we needed to buy weapons for our arms forces we saw the problems that we have to pass through.

“So I am happy that the Nigerian Army is making this important contribution and doing it out of research and innovation what this means is that we can never go below this standard we can only improve we can’t degenerate.

“I salute the Nigerian Army and I want the chief of army staff to continue to encourage the men and women of Nigerian Army that devote their time their energy to help the nation in the search of greatness, I want to assure you that the federal ministry of science and technology will coorprate,  colaborate and give support you needed in all area necessary,” he said.

END