…charges coy to produce arms to fight insurgency
The House of Representatives Committee on Defence has summoned heads of the nation’s security agencies to explain why they have refused to buy arms and ammunition from the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON). The summon was issued following the adoption of a motion raised by Hon. Taofeek Ajilesoro (PDP, Osun) at a budget defence session with the corporation.
Those invited include the Inspector-General of Police, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Comptroller General of Immigration and Customs as well as the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). In his welcome address, the Chairman of the committee, Hon. Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos) urged the corporation to produce quality arms and ammunition that could be useful in the fight against insurgency.
He said: “This committee urges you to expand your boundaries by engaging in intensive research and production of militaryhardware that will not only support the ongoing fight against insurgency and other security challenges in Nigeria but also be available for export.
“This committee is convinced that if DICON effectively leverages the provisions of Executive Order 5, which recommends that preference should be given to indigenous companies in government procurement, the agency will be self-sufficient and generate adequate revenue to fully fund its activities.
“We are dissatisfied that, so far, only the Nigerian Army patronises DICON. We believe that the DICON management must explore avenues of expanding its scope and drawing larger patronage from more agencies both in the public and private sector. Indeed, there is room for more and better achievements.”
The Director General of DICON, Major Gen. Hassan Gimba Tafida, in his presentation, lamented that other security agencies apart from the Army have not been buying arms and ammunition manufactured by the corporation as they preferred to patroniseforeigncompanies.