How we produced battle winning platforms – Buratai

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, has said the improvement of the Nigerian Army’s equipment support facilities at the Command Engineering Depot has ensured increased availability of “battle winning platforms” for various operations across the country.

The Army Chief said this Tuesday at the 21st combat service support training week, in Gusau, Zamfara State capital, with the theme: “Developing Local Capacity for Improved Service Delivery in Nigerian Army Operations” 

The army had recently partnered with Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) at the Central Engineering Depot, Kaduna, to manufacture and refurbish operations vehicles which were later deployed to theater of operations.

Buratai also said the army’s collaboration with Proforce Nigeria Limited, an indigenous armored manufacturing company, in line with the federal government local content policy, has also yielded positive result with the production of the first made in Nigeria Mine Resistant Anti-Ambush Protected vehicle, which was unveiled recently and later deployed to the North East Theater of operation.

“I am indeed convinced that we can still expand our partnership to several other reputable local industries across the country for many of our requirements,” he said.

“I therefore urge you not to limit yourself to finished goods and products from local industries, but to also focus on research and development collaborations that could bring about solutions to some of our operational needs.”

The army chief said combat service support training week was a key activity in the Nigerian Army programme that is held annually due to the important role of the combat service support corps in the provision of effective logistics to the army in all our activities. 

He said the operational commitments of the army demands a high level of logistics support for troops in the field and even their families back in the barracks, hence in the past  four years, the army’s logistics focus had been to ensure proper kiting of troops, provision and improvement of barracks accommodation, provision of operational and administrative vehicles, improvement of equipment support facilities, renovation and rehabilitation of our medical facilities as well as improved ration and feeding for troops across all the theatre of operations.

Earlier at the Government House, the Army Chief acknowledged the efforts of the state governor in ensuring lasting peace in the state. 

He assured that the Nigerian Army would fully operationalise the newly established 1 Brigade as well as deploy more troops to the state in order to consolidate on the peace efforts of the state government.

There were exhibitions of innovations by the combat support corps, free medical services as well as presentation of 10,000 exercise books donated to schools in Zamfara state by the Chief of Army Staff.

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