Someone asked why most of the latest generation of equipments recently procured by the army can be traced to one Chinese arms manufaturer "Norincho". Why not diversify he said.
Well, diversity for one has done more harm than good.
There used to be a time in this country when weapons were procured without taking maintenance into considerations, resulting in various equipment from different manufacturers. The result of all these uncoordinated procurement left half the armys equipment unservicable.
This was compounded by the lack of adequate spares and trained technicians, making maintenance of equipment difficult. At the end of the day most of these equipments finally ended up in a junk yard.
Lets take our army for instance.
A Nigerian army amoured brigade has two tank battalions and one reconnaisance battalion. There is an amoury workshop assigned to support the brigade for maintenance. The amoured brigade is equipped with T-72s, Vicker, T-55s, AMX-30 MBTs and Scorpion light tanks.
The worship needs to stock its stores with spare parts to support 4 different types of tanks performing the same roles...and of course they will need different tools and test equipment to support each of the vehicles. The workshop will also require different sets of technicians
with each set specialising on each of the tanks. Ordnance personnel will also have to contend with the problem of providing seperate storage for different sets of spares...and by the way, the crew of one tank cannot be moved into a different tank because they
are not used to the mechanisms of the other MBTs.
If however the army decides to adopt the Vickers as the only tank it operates this problem would be reduced as all the technicians would focus on repairs of only one type of tank using only one set of repair and test equipment.
Also a driver can easily take over a spare tank in battle if the original driver becomes a casualty. The efficiency of the brigade will then be enhanced. Take the Americans for example. Everything is structured to maximize output and reduce complexities. Russia has 12,000 tanks
..twice as many as the U.S, but Russia's tank fleet is a mix of T-55s, T-72B, T-72M, T-80s,...2nd and 3rd generation tanks with varying capabilities. Yes they have the T-14 Armata, but in very small numbers.
The U.S has a a fleet of 8,000 Main Battle Tanks. Unlike China and Russia that operates a variety of tanks, the U.S has only one type of Tank in its inventory, the M1 Abrams, all 3rd generation. The range, accuracy, and ease of maintenance greatly outweigh sheer numbers.
So the Nigerian army's new generation of Main Battle Tanks, Tank Destroyers, infantry fighting vehicles all coming from Norincho is due to the army's decision to standardize its equipment for ease of maintenance and improved combat efficiency.
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To cap it all, here is Italy's deputy Prime Minister blaming France for the migrant crises, accusing France of impoverished African nations with its colonial policy, and even going as far as calling for sanctions against France.
When you have a first world developed nation financing its public debts with the external reserves of 14 of Africa's poorest and least developed nations via its colonial taxes, you realize France will never let go of Africa. They are ready to sponsor coups and go to war.
In April, Macron himself said " Democracy can WAIT" and warned France will not tolerate any threat to Chad. There is a good reason why Cameroons Paul Biya has maintained his grip on power for 40 years. There is a reason why Idris Derby maintained his grip on power for 36 years.
In a clever bit of subterfuge they are accusing Turkey of having ulterior motives and drawing a false equivalent between Russian involvement in Mali and Nigeria.
This guy is basically saying the Governor of Zamfara is unilaterally aquiring arms, drawing up its own foreign policy and trading with a foreign power.
Make no mistake, this is not borne out of ignorance, he is fully aware of how Nigerian Federalism works.
But thats beside the point. The main objective here is to paint Nigeria as a failed state where the central government has fallen and its all man for himself. He is preying on the fact that majority of viewers dont know better any better.
After returning from a trip to Turkey months ago, Zamfara state governors said he is helping secure a deal for first class drones from Turkey. France 24 somehow manages to spin a narrative suggesting the Nigerian military is so weak state governors are now unilaterally
.aquiring their own armed attack drones. Not only is this a delibrate and malicious distortion of the fact, they bring in a panel of analysts that, from they say know nothing about the military.
Nigeria has the most extensive intelligence gathering assets in sub saharan Africa. Preceding any airstrike ISR aircafts take to the skies to hunt for insurgent positions. Once spotted fighters are scrambled.
Those having fits over Nigeria's re-armament are in for a rough ride as the NAF prepares to take delivery of the first Squadron (twelve) of M-346FA in December.
Twenty four M-346FA's will replace the iconic Alpha Jets fleet of 16 aircafts. Aquired in the mid- 80s they are the oldest serving aircafts in the NAF inventory. 1990
The Alpha jets were deployed to Liberia during ECOMOG peacekeeping operations where they sunk ships running guns for Chalrlse Taylor in the Seaport of Buchanan and hammered rebel gun emplacements at Charles Taylor’s headquarters in Kakata, forcing him to move his base.
FRANCE24 analysts criticizing Nigeria's investment in its military at the expensive of the economy. Is this a joke?
Nigeria spends less than 2% of its GDP on defence compared to 6% on infrastructure. As a percentage of GDP Nigeria is not spending near enough on defence given is security imperatives. France's greatest ally, the late Derby never made investments in economic development.
Prioritising security, defence expenditures at a rate of 14% of the national budget. The result has been 20 years of worsening economic conditions for the already impoverished people of Chad. Highest infant mortality and illiteracy rate in the world. Chad struck oil in 2003..
Cameroonian troops yesterday crossed the border into Nigeria, shooting sporadically and sending Nigerians fleeing, some taking refuge in camps for internally displaced persons.
This is a calculated offensive from Cameroon
on Nigeria. They have yet again shown outright defiance to Nigeria’s territorial sovereignty and dammed the consequences of crossing the international boundary to intimidate and harass already alarmed citizens.
The govt owned media in Cameroon accuse Nigeria of sheltering Anglophone insurgents. Since the media is governments owned, it means the Yaounde is preparing the people for any eventuality. This is the second such incursion in the space of one month