The Minister of Defence retired Maj Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi has joined the Commander-in- Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari to Commission via zoom seven hundred Ashok Leyland Troops Carrying Vehicles in Abuja.
General Magashi said at times like this when the country is facing myriads of security challenges, the acquisition of the vehicles represents yet another significant milestone among many initiatives of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to reposition the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The minister, according to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Mohammad Abdulkadri, said the Federal Government is cognizant of the significance of troop’s logistics mobility for effective operational efficiency.
The Defence Minister who noted that the implementation of the President’s Executive Order 5, EO5 is providing employment to Nigerians said the C-in-C also facilitated massive acquisition of some State-of-the-Art equipment including Fighter jets, Ships and Fast Patrol Boats towards repositioning the Armed Forces.
Meanwhile the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence Dr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, mni who led a team constituted by the Ministry to interface with Messrs Stallion Motors Ltd that delivered the initial fifty buses in 2014 and now the seven hundred vehicles thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for all the support that culminated into the commissioning ceremony even when hope seemed lost.
Dr Abubakar who expressed delight that the Vehicles were produced in Nigeria by Nigerians said the engagement of Messrs Stallion Motors Limited by the Ministry was hinged on the Honourable Minister’s conviction to uphold President Buhari’s desire to promote the utilization of the indigenous technology as enshrined in the Executive Order 5 signed by the President on 2nd February, 2018.
The Permanent Secretary harped on the Vision of the Ministry of Defence under the watch of Maj Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi which is to reposition the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, DICON to delivered on its mandate in line with the foresight of its founding fathers.
The ceremony was attended by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President Professor Ibrahim Gambari and top Military authorities including the Chief of Defence Staff General Leo Irabor and Service Chiefs.
