THE Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, today expressed confidence that the military is on track to become a superpower in military equipment production within a few years.
“Sometimes we make progress, only to face setbacks, but with the recent signing of the DICON Bill, we are committed to ensuring sustainability. There’s significant interest, and many partners are getting involved. I assure you that in a few years, Nigeria will also be a superpower in producing its own military equipment,” the CDS stated.
He highlighted that the military previously manufactured some of its weapons at the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), but production had declined over the years.
Despite these challenges, General Musa expressed optimism about the revival of military equipment production, noting that the Nigerian military is now directly manufacturing small-caliber weapons.
“We used to assemble guns at DICON, but that stopped; however, it is being restored now. We currently produce our own ammunition for small calibers like 7.62mm and 9mm,” he explained. “Our goal is to produce 5.56mm ammunition and eventually move to larger calibers, starting from 12.7mm and above. It’s interesting to note that DICON started 60 years ago, alongside Brazil, which is now producing unmanned aircraft and submarines. We aspire to reach that level.”
General Musa emphasized that local production of military equipment will not only create jobs for the youth but also enhance the country’s foreign exchange.
He added that it would enable the Nigerian military to sell to neighbouring countries, generating funds for further military development.
Following the Federal High Court in Abuja’s decision to classify the Lakurawa sect as a terrorist organization, General Musa stated that this ruling provides the military with “legal backing” to take decisive action against them.
He noted that some foreign-purchased weapons, such as the Super Tucano, had restrictions on their use, but with the sect now designated as terrorists, those weapons can be deployed against them.