BY AHMED AKANBI
The Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle, has said Nigeria requires more advanced military platforms to boost the fight against terrorism and banditry, stated this at the Czech Air Force Days at Mošnov Airfield, Ostrava, where he commended manufacturers for their commitment to advanced equipment.
He was accompanied by the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, NASENI, Mr. Khalil Sulaiman Halilu, Chairman of the Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer, PICTT, Dr. Dahiru Muhammed, and other officials from the Ministry of Defence and Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, DICON.
The statement also informed that the minister and his delegation, alongside DEFCON CEO, Mr. Peter Markvart, toured exhibition stands covering Land and Air platforms.
It listed platforms inspected as the L-39 Skyfox Jet Trainer and Light Attack Aircraft and the L-410NG Multipurpose Transport Aircraft.
Other stands visited included Colt CZ Group, makers of BREN-2, BREN-3, M4, AR-15 assault rifles, EVO-3 Sub-Machine Gun, various arms and ammunition and ballistic gear, and MESIT, producers of tactical radios and VERA passive surveillance systems.
The CEOs, Mr. Andrej Furin, Mr. Petr Holouk and Mr. Ivan Ivanov, briefed the minister on the functions and capabilities of their platforms.
Matawalle, who expressed satisfaction with the technologies on display, said Nigeria would need such platforms to enhance ongoing operations.
The companies assured him of readiness to support Nigeria with modern platforms.
In a related development, the minister held strategic meetings with the Chief of General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, Lt. Gen. Miroslav Hlaváč, Commander of Czech Land Forces, Maj. Gen. Josef Trojánek, and Commander of Czech Air Force, Brig. Gen. Petr Tománek.
Discussions, according to the statement, centred on military support in training, equipment maintenance and provision of advanced platforms for the Armed Forces of Nigeria, with the Czech military chiefs expressing commitment to assist Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and banditry.