Exclusive: Federal Government Agency Buys 10 Bullet Proof Cars

24 December 2013

[img]http://dailytrust.info/images/ova%20do.jpg[/img]
A Saudi Arabian cargo plane that crashed into equipment at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja on December 4. The Saudi embassy says the jet was carrying bulletproof cars for the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON).

...Flown in by Saudi plane involved in Abuja mishap – Embassy

A Federal Government agency has bought 10 bulletproof cars, at least five of which were flown into the country by a Saudi plane that was involved in the Abuja airport mishap three weeks ago.

The Saudi embassy in Abuja, which disclosed this to Daily Trust in a letter at the weekend, said the cars were meant to be delivered to the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Kaduna.

A Saudi airlines plane hit runway repair equipment at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in the night on December 4, leading to the closure of the airport for 17 hours.

In its account of that incident, Daily Trust reported that the aircraft was carrying weapons. But the Saudi embassy wrote to say the goods were not “dangerous nor prohibited,” contrary to the impression it said the newspaper’s report created.

The embassy said the cargo comprised 100 tonnes of bulletproof cars which were part of a supply contract for delivery to DICON in Kaduna.

“The General Authority of Civil Aviation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has confirmed that the aircraft was chartered by Saudi Arabian Airline, carrying bullet-proof cars and its final destination is Murtala Muhammad Airport, Lagos, Nigeria,” the Saudi mission said in a letter dated December 20.

“The detailed description of the content of the plane is as follows: -A set of bullet-proof cars weighing 58 tonnes. (And) another set of 5 bullet-proof cars weighing 42 tonnes.

“The goods were a portion of a supply contract for 10 bullet-proof cars to a government agency in Nigeria, which were to be conveyed from Sharjah (UAE) via Abuja, through: fast forward cargo US UAC, to: Defence Industries of Nigeria (DICOM), 45, Ahmad Bello Way, Kaduna, through the companies contact person: Mr Nwajpudu Livinston/CCC. (sic).

“The goods were manufactured in South Africa.

“It is important to note that, the goods the aircraft was carrying were neither those considered as dangerous nor prohibited, this is absolutely in contrary to your esteemed newspapers report which stated that the aircraft was carrying weapons.”

This supply came in the wake of the N255 million bulletproof cars scandal involving Aviation Minister Stella Oduah, who the House of Representatives indicted for flouting procurement regulations in the cars purchase.

It is not clear who would use the 10 bulletproof cars being supplied by the Saudis.

When contacted on Sunday, a spokesman for DICON, Mohammed Lawal Kurfi said he was not aware of the contract and the cargo.

Asked if he could confirm the matter with company’s management, Kurfi said he could not contact the Director General, Major-General E.R. Chioba.

For his part, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, said if DICON was the one mentioned by the Saudis, then Daily Trust should talk to the corporation.

DICON was established in 1964, primarily to produce small arms and ammunition for the use of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies. The corporation is also to use its excess capacity to produce machinery spare parts for industries and other products for civilian use, information on its website says.

A source in the military circles told Daily Trust yesterday that India and Brazil set up similar corporations same year and had since gone ahead to exceed their mandate.

“But DICON has not only stagnated; its main preoccupation now is making furniture,” he said.

“It has no business with bulletproof cars. Purchases of heavy weapons and things like bulletproof cars are the responsibilities of Policy and Plans in Defence Headquarters. The whole thing is curious.”

Details of DICON’s N2.59 billion total allocation in the 2013 Federal budget did not clearly show a provision for purchase of any bulletproof cars. But N497 million was provided for “purchase of defence equipment” under capital projects.

masseratti: I have no doubt in my mind that this is another case of fraud,just like coscharis used LASG name to import vehicles and got waivers,this coy have also use dicon to import this vehicles and propably got waiver for it,our government agencies have to up their game and share information,these importers are killing the economy.

Nigeria gets bullet proof vest factory

July 02, 2012


President Goodluck Jonathan has commissioned the Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), a company that will be manufacturing bullet proof vest for the military and other security agents.

The President at the commissioning in Kaduna, commended the Public Private Partnership (PPP) between DICON and MAROM-DOLPHIN Nigeria Limited which resulted in the domestic production of the bullet proof vests and other textile wares for security agencies in the country.

President Jonathan noted that the landmark event shows that the military establishment has effectively keyed into the federal government’s Local Content Policy which is aimed at building indigenous capacity in the petroleum and other sectors of the national economy.”

The President restated his administration’s commitment “to creating the requisite enabling environment for local manufacturing industries to grow, become major employers of labour and progressively become globally competitive.”

ndu_chucks: Ngozi Iweala now has the guts to tell gullible Nigerians that the First Lady did not in any way personally benefit from this waiver.

She continued that Nigeria has a nascent leasing industry and no company in the sector currently has the quantity and quality of vehicles required for such events. Madam Iweala, who or which company ultimately executed the said waivers. Secondly, the events are over, so where are the vehicles purchased for the event? If the vehicles for the event were leased, were the waivers returned?

Nigerians are wiser, these thieves must be thrown out of government, one way or the other.

Ngwakwe:
She doesn't report to the Opposition nor to the Mallams rather she is answerable to her employer in this case Mr President who bears full responsibility of any failure arising from so-called policy of which we the people will re-evaluate in the next poll.

Brimmie: