[size=18pt] Politicians And Armoured Vehicles[/size]
By SOLOMON IMOHIOSEN Esq

Perhaps, we are in a period of extraordinary emergencies. However, I don’t know whether it was part of the lessons learnt from the Jos crisis, the militant operations in the Niger-Delta or sheer cases of anticipated violent attacks from any quarters.


However, it is overwhelmingly clear that while these events may have helped shaped recent attitude by politicians, the 2011 general elections seem more probable for the craze for armoured vehicles.


A report in a national daily with the headline: 2011 election: Politicians spend billions on armoured vehicles” in the Saturday Punch had a captivating pull about it to the effect that some government officials and politicians have started placing orders for armoured-plated vehicles in anticipation of violence during the 2011 elections.


I feel that Nigerians are either enigmatic, eclectic, egoistic or are simply eclipsed by all of these including sheer desires and flamboyancy such that if it were possible the masses should be wiped out of existence or to perpetually live in abject poverty and penury amidst plenty.


This is the reason for the avarice in high quarters that as soon as politicians are elected into office, the attraction to amass wealth is let loose and has been a dangerous vice controlling the Nigerian psyche and political landscape for years on since independence. It goes to show that our history of political responsibility is nil and nothing to be proud of.


According to the American Company producing the armoured vehicles, quoted by the news report, the brands of armoured vehicles requested for has a price range of N10,000,000 to N20,000 US dollars while most orders are for 2-3 units with a price range of about $400,000 to $600,000 US Dollars or an equivalent of between N60 million to N90 million. On the long run, billions of naira that could improve the life of the ordinary Nigerians would have been spent on importing armoured vehicles.


“Our passenger vehicles can also be armoured up to levels B6 (AK - 47 8M-16 Protection) and B7 Armour-piercing rifle protection”, said a source, Forstein from the manufactures of the vehicles.


It is unfortunate that our politicians would rather spend money for their own personal aggrandisement than for purposes of development.


Nigeria is ranked among the poorest countries of the world. Poor in physical infrastructure, lack of basic amenities, no good roads, lack of stable electricity which will continue to be a mirage while many have no homes to live in and feed from the dustbins.


Nigeria is a contradiction in terms and like a puzzles of letters and numbers. We can rearrange it if we get the formula right, from politics through to religion and economics, etcetera. However, this is further exacerbated by the jiggery-pokery that political leaders play on the people under the guise of manifestoes, to reel out unfulfilled electoral promises. I should rather add that apart from being one of the poorest countries of the world, Nigeria ranks amongst countries of the world with growing level of poverty of the mind by those who are put in a position of trust and leadership to govern the country.


I am further bewildered that for an election that is yet to come, Nigerians have become suddenly frenetic for an event that will happen in two years time. It reveals the fact that we don’t believe in the proposed electoral reforms and would do anything to thwart it, to bend the rules to achieve victories at all cost. We all watched the U.S.



Presidential elections and also the recent change of baton in Israel. Neighbouring Ghana is just too close to mention, while the elections there may not have been perfect, it was excellent in the sense that no major violence was recorded and leaders were produced without so much upheavals.


Is it the bolts and nuts of the Electoral Act that is the cause of violence or is it the thieving politicians who like to manipulate recorded votes to give their party victory?

While the Electoral Act should be amended to make it tidier to correct perceived loopholes, what happens on election day is entirely within our reach to control by urging party agents, political thugs, polling officials and everyone in the election process to play by the rules.


Political violence and assassination in Nigeria are most times orchestrated by politicians who use thugs to threaten and intimidate their opponents to submission and on election day snatch ballot boxes and shoot into the air sporadically to scare away voters.


They supply their thugs with sophisticated weapons that the police are no match for them. They take ballot boxes into the houses of political leaders and the ballot boxes are stuffed with their own voters’ cards already preprinted for the purpose. The system is depraved and the story does not change in any election year and the beat goes on. We are in quagmire but their is hope all the same.


Just as the politicians are importing armoured vehicles, very soon import of sophisticated arms will start arriving the country.


Perhaps, they are already being smuggled in.


We are trapped in a dangerous circle of violence. These arms, after elections come into the hands of very dangerous miscreants and armed robbers while the politicians retain their armoured vehicles to protect themselves from any attacks.


These tendencies by political leaders are morally reprehensible and criminally condemnable. It betrays thoughtlessness on the part of the politicians on the need of the people and suggestive that they think only of themselves. It is to be said that life can be accidental that whether armoured vehicles or no armoured vehicles, it is no guarantee or protection against death from election violence or other attacks. The only antidote against death from election violence is to be play by the rules and guidelines of the Electoral Act and we should stop engaging in political banditry and brigandage.


Once elected, projects should be executed by politicians to uplift the well-being of the people and not stash the peoples money into local and foreign accounts waiting to be used after leaving office.

http://www.nigerianobservernews.com/23022009/news/news4.html

Armoured 2009 Ford Expedition For Politicians and othe VIP's



PROTECTION AGAINST:

• 7.62 x 51 FJ, PB,SC (FAL / LAR NATO rifle)
• 7.62 x 51 M80 Ball PS
• 7.62 x 39 AP,FJ,PB,SCB (Kalashnikov (AK 47 rifles))
• 5.56 x 45 FJ,PB, SCP (US Rifle M16 , SS-109 / M-855) and lesser threats
• Anti personnel mine and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) proof


STRUCTURAL PROTECTION:

- Crystal glass, 39mm with polycarbonate liner or equivalent.

- Opaque armour using SSAB steel or equivalent. Vertical surfaces: 6mm on all side doors using unique close to vehicle skin design and 8mm on all other vertical surfaces. 6mm on the roof and 4mm on the floor.

- Rodgard Runflat Tire inserts on all 5 wheels, spare wheel included - 50kms @ 50km/h.

- Full steel coverage over the floor pan/transmission tunnel, offering ballistic and blast protection as well as completing the full capsule stiffening-and-protection structure.

- Continuous welding on all steel floor plates to insure integrity against a blast event.

- Additional blast protection underneath door sill areas – full length

- Additional armoured steel angle plates throughout majority of door aperture lips, to protect against compound trajectories.

- Roof protection to B6 level with a 45º striking angle.

- Double Fuel tank protection.

- Inclusion of armoured steel boxes over unavoidable apertures in engine bay firewall protection, to maintain high level of protection integrity.

- Protection of the double battery system, including additional protection for the electronic control unit and the fuel filter system.

- Positioning of armour plate on door close to outer skin – providing enhanced protection against the 5.56 x 45 (SS-109 Rifle).

- Up-rated suspension components, including thorough reinforcing of the original suspension mountings and turrets.

- Full, protected, access to components requiring maintenance, e.g., locks, handles, hinges, seat-belts, etc.


PRICE : 19, 971, 000 Naira

Interested? Contact me using the following details below

Gabriel Morka
Head, Sales
Armour Plus Limited
email: gabrielmorka@msn.com
tel: 08037473811 / 08028382640

We are trapped in a dangerous circle of violence. These arms, after elections come into the hands of very dangerous miscreants and armed robbers while the politicians retain their armoured vehicles to protect themselves from any attacks.

Hidding oneself in armoured vehicle is only a temporary relieve. The politicians will have a permanent relieve if and only if they satisfy the masses. They can't be a hidding place for these crooks.

still available