House of Representatives Summons Head of Security Agencies.

Njideka Ozalor

The House of Representatives Committee on Defense has summoned all heads of security agencies in the country for refusing to buy arms and ammunition from the Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria, DICON

The Chairman of the Committee, Babajimi Benson stated this when the Director of the corporation, Major General Hassan Tafida, appeared before the committee for the 2023 budget defence session.

Benson said that” there was a need for the nations security agencies to first source arms and ammunition today before going outside”.

He said the lawmakers would compel all security agencies to buy arms and ammunition from DICON. We do not see why it is only the Army That is patronizing Decor, The Air force and Navy should also as a matter of urgency patronise Dicon and by this , we will save foreign exchange, we will improve our social technology and youths will have some forms of job, ” Benson said.

In his submission, the Director General of the Corporation Major General Hassan Tafida, accused the security agencies of not patronising DICON by purchasing arms and ammunition from them.

He said that they preferred to go outside to buy.

He noted that” there is no law stopping or compelling security Agencies from purchasing arms and ammunition from DICON.

It is that perception that we cannot provide all the things they need, so they go outside and the law did not restrict them from going outside. So these are some of the things that need to be corrected. This is why Dicon must wake up from the status it was to a new statues. We are making an effort to ensure that the military industrial complex is a reality in Nigeria, “Tafida said.

The said people from private sector were partnering with DICON by building factories, producing Armored personnel carriers and also going into production of weapons and ammunition.

He added that all was needed to be put in place was the country’s own home grown technology, for easy transfer technology.