With the deployment of five more Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs), an end to the insurgency in Northeast is imminent. ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE reports.
One of the major setbacks for the Nigeria Armed forces in the long fight against the Boko Haram insurgency in Borno, Yobe, and other parts of the Northeast, is the ambush and killings of its troops by the insurgents who often planted mines on the troops’ paths.
It was against this backdrop that, the Nigerian Army under Lt.-General Tukur Yusuf Buratai conceived the idea of manufacturing Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs) locally, a dream which became a reality shortly after its conception.
President Muhammadu Buhari in December 2019, used the occasion of the Chief of Army Staff Conference, to commission the first set of the MRAPs, jointly produced by Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) and Command Engineering Depot (CED).
The made in Nigeria MRAP, was named after the Director-General of Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Major General Victor Ezugwu, who designed the vehicle and earned recognition for his efforts to combat Boko Haram extremists.
The new vehicle according to the Army was designed on a Tatra 4×4 chassis. “The 4×4 Ezugwu is powered by a Chinese WD615 turbodiesel engine. Its flat-bottom armored hull provides protection against small arms fire and an explosion of 7 kg TNT, whilst each wheel can withstand a 12 kg TNT explosion.
“The unconventionally designed Ezugwu is fitted with two different weapons turrets to achieve 360 degrees traversal. In addition, the vehicle is equipped with a 360-degree telescopic PTZ camera.
“The primary armament includes a 12.7 mm Anti-Aircraft Gun and a 7.62 mm Light Machine Gun. It is good for counter-terrorism, maintenance of stability, and also a perfect vehicle for urban warfare.”
Chief of Army Staff at the launch of the first five MRAPs said the military hardware was versatile in the counter-insurgency and other military operations in the country and would pose a great threat to adversaries, as he disclosed that the vehicles were tested in the various theatre of operations against Boko Haram insurgents as well as Birnin Gwari area against bandits.
Gen. Buratai said the vehicles were innovative and inventive products of the Nigerian army’s research and development of its military-industrial complex, adding that, Ezugwu MRAP was an entirely indigenous production effort from start to finish by the team of Nigerian army engineers and their partners.
The induction of Ezugwu MRAPs into the theatre of operation, according to the Army, has no doubt, contributed immensely in the last 11 months in weakening the power of the Boko Haram insurgents.
One of the successes of the Ezugwu MRAPs was revealed shortly after its it was launched into the operation. The Army in January 2020 said its troops in the North East theatre of operations were already using the indigenous Mines Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles to wipe out the insurgents.
Col. Aminu Iliyasu, in a statement he issued in that regard said, attempts by the terrorists to infiltrate Michika and Madagali in Adamawa state on Jan. 2 was repelled by the combined troops of 217 Tank Battalion and elements of 144 Battalion, using the Ezugwu MRAPs.
Colonel Ilyasu explained that “the criminals went to the town in gun trucks and motorcycles, began sporadic shootings that caused an uproar in the peaceful community thus compelling law-abiding residents to scamper for safety. The troops immediately mobilised, blocked, and engaged the criminals with overwhelmingly superior firepower, forcing them to abandon their heinous intentions and retreat in disarray, albeit with a high casualty in men and equipment.
“At the end of the encounter, two Boko Haram terrorists were neutralised. Unconfirmed numbers of both dead and wounded criminal elements were believed to have been hauled away by the withdrawing insurgents as indicated by the traces of their blood found along their withdrawal route.
“Additionally, one gun truck mounted with Anti-Aircraft Gun, 2 AK 47 Rifles, 4 AK 47 Rifle magazines, 2 motorcycles, one machete, some quantities of provision, food items, drugs as well as IEDs detonating wires were captured by the gallant troops.
“In a related development, on the same day, troops of 144 Battalion responded to a distress call on an impending Boko Haram criminals’ attack on Kopa Village in Madagali. Enroute to the Village, the troops encountered a Boko Haram criminals’ ambush established to prevent troops counteraction against their assailment of the town.
“Four Boko Haram elements were killed while one gun truck, two motorcycles, one Anti-Aircraft Gun and two AK 47 Rifles among others were captured by the troops during the two encounters.
“Additionally, on January 4, some terrorists who attempted to attack the Headquarters of 29 Task Force Brigade location at Jakana in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno were overpowered by the troops. At the end of the encounter, six Boko Haram criminals were neutralised, with the recovery of equipment while one soldier paid the supreme price and two others wounded in action during the encounter,” said Col. Ilyasu.
Inspecting the new set of five MRAPs at the Command Engineering Depot (CED), Rigachikun Kaduna recently, the Chief of Army Staff, expressed delight with the development saying that, “the tactics of ambushing our soldiers and burying mines to kill our finest soldiers will soon be over.
Lt.-General Buratai said Boko Haram insurgents’ days are numbered as he assured that the army is prepared to end the war in no distant time with the production of 10 Mines Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs), explaining that, production of five MRAPs had been completed while another five is already in progress.
He pointed out that, the effort of the Nigerian Army in this regard, has so far saved Nigeria billions of Naira that could have been used for the procurement of the military hardware and equipment.
The Army Chief while expressing satisfaction with the level of progress so far made, tasked officers, soldiers and civilian staff of the Depot to upscale the level of achievements already recorded.
The Commander of Nigeria Army’s Command Engineering Depot, Major General Sunday Araoye said, both the new MRAPs and the repaired Armoured Personnel Careers, as well as the repaired troops’ carrying vehicles, were test-driven and have proven to be in good working condition.
General Araoye while assuring the Chief of Army Staff of the Depot’s commitment to upscale its achievement, said that a state of the art 3D printing machine for vehicles’ parts and medical implants had been installed in the Depot.
According to Araoye, “We have also manufactured a surveillance vehicle with a drone attached to it to enhance Nigerian Army’s operations”.