Proforce, DICON partner on locally-made armoured vehicles

Proforce Limited, indigenous company which specialises in design and manufacture of defence and security hardware and armouring of cars and other passenger vehicles, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) for the production of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs).

This was disclosed by Ade Ogundeyin, managing director of the company when a team of senior policemen led by Ikemfuna Okoye,  Ogun state police commissioner, toured the Company’s plant recently.

The plant, as the visitors also learnt, has built and delivered armoured marine security boats for the Lagos state government for use by the rejuvenated State Waterways Authority.

Disclosing that the facility had at different times played host to guests from the presidency as well as Olusegun Aganga, the minister of industry, trade and investment; the minister of state in the ministry; state governors and top military officers, Ogundeyin stated that all the visitors “were impressed by the level of our technology and quality of our products,” even as he added that the vehicles from the plant are as good as the best in the world.

He told the police boss that good news about his company’s products had spread to France as it has been approached to build armoured vehicles for export to a neighboring francophone country.

“Nigerians are great people and what we do here is enough evidence that if encouraged, Nigerians can achieve great things to earn the country a lot of respect in the international community. There may be a few bad eggs, but generally, Nigerians are hard-working people, and investments like this need to be encouraged,” he remarked.

He said that the National Automotive Council (NAC) has been lending a lot of support to the plant, adding that through the Council’s efforts, locally based auto plants like Proforce, would be paying zero duty on completely knocked down parts and lauded the Federal Government for introducing the auto development policy and following up with the new fiscal policy measures for the auto industry as issued by Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the coordinating minister for the economy and minister of finance on November 14.

Urging government not to listen to protests “by selfish businessmen who do not mean well for the economy,” Ogundeyin described the measures as what the industry needs to grow and develop, stressing that the bold steps by government would help avoid the pitfalls of the past which led to the death of some of the auto plants set up by government in collaboration with European auto makers in the 70s.

He assured that production activities at the plant are based on the global industry standards, using only internationally certified ballistic materials of: CEN level B6/ NIJ Level 111, CEN level B7/ NIJ IV, Stagnag III. According to him, all raw materials for armouring vehicles, such as the body (ballistic steel that protects the sides, roof and under-bodies), and windows (ballistic glass) are supplied and fully certified for quality by the world’s leading suppliers of armoured vehicle components.

The materials are resistant to commercial threats, from assault rifles and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). All the vehicles have special run-flat tyres that can endure several kilometres.

Urging government not to listen to protests by those who do not mean well for the economy, Ogundeyin described the measures as what the industry needs to grow and develop, stressing that the bold steps by government would help avoid the pitfalls of the past which led to the death of some of the auto plants set up by government in collaboration with European auto makers in the 70s.

“President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan should be commended by all Nigerians for having the interest of the auto industry and economy generally, at heart. The new policy contains measures many other countries took to encourage and develop their auto sector. So, why should Nigeria’s case be different?” he asked.

Taking the Ogun state police boss through various sections of the plant where they saw armoured vehicles in various stages of production and finished ones ready for delivery, Ogundeyin drew attention to some poor quality imported vehicles (one of them from Dubai) brought in by disappointed customers who had no option than to come to Proforce to effect repairs.