Newsbreak: Ogun indigene develops Anti-mine Military Ambush tanks, sell to Nigerian Army, Niger, Chad, others
By Samuel Ogunsona
A creative indigene of Ogun State is billed to deliver some 100 Mines Resistance Ambush Protection, (MRAP) Military tactical weapons to the three West African countries, Mali and Chad. The military weapons are manufactured by a private company located in Ode-Remo, Ogun State.
His company, Proforce, is located in Ode Remo in Ogun State will also deliver tens of the locally made vehicles to the Nigerian Military.
Ade Ogundeyin, a graduate of Mechanical Engineering was working as a cleaner in Kuwait before he returned to Nigeria after the collapse of the armoured company he was working for.
He later set up a military manufacturing company on Ode Remo, Ogun State where he produces MRAP. Ayobami Ogundeyin of the officials at the company attended the University of Lagos after which he proceeded to Cardiff for higher knowledge in Mechanical Engineer.
The MRAP was developed by the United States, (US) in 2007 at the height of the Iraq war to deal with mines laid by insurgents. In Afghanistan, the MRAP was said to have reduced fatality by at least 70 percent. An official of the company told Irohinoodua that the military vehicles are far better than those imported from abroad adding that it will save Nigerian a lot of foreign exchange earnings.
The Military tactical vehicles produced in Ode Remo is equipped with a 360 degree scanner, lasers and armored combat weapons that can fire opponents within the range of 1000 meters.
“Ours is one of the best in the world” he said in a chat on Sunday.
According to him, the Nigerian Army had already ordered for some of the WRAP while Chad, Niger and Mali will be receiving some 100 of the WRAP in few months to come.
Experts said the increased threat to the lives of U.S. troops caused the United States Department of Defense to deploy between 2007 and 2012 more than 12000 MRAPs to Iraq and Afghanistan, where the superpower was involved in asymmetric warfare. But the USA Today reported in June 2008 that the deaths of US troops from IEDs and ambushes had reduced by 70 percent as a result of the deployment of MRAPs. (Shots of US made MRAP.
The MRAP produced at Ode Remo is named Ara, which means thunder in Yoruba has a high centre of gravity, with a remarkable ability to maneuver. The military vehicle also weighs 15 tons, yet It can reach speed of 120km per hour off road and 110km per hour off road.
It also has tyres that can run for 50 kilometres even after they have been deflated by enemy forces. An official of the company said there is always the tendency to underrate anything made in Nigeria but
In spite of the difficulties that come with doing business in Nigeria, Ogundeyin is determined to trudge on. He says Nigerian government at all levels have no business importing any kind of armoured vehicles, arguing that the ones produced here are better, stronger, have no overheating issues and the spare parts are readily available. He is happy to have countries like Chad, Niger and Rwanda as his clients.