The Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin, says the Nigerian Military remained committed to self-reliance in producing high-end specialised equipment that could be projected further on a global scale.
The CDS, represented by the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Usman, stated this in his closing remarks at the maiden edition of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Challenge 2020 competition on Thursday at Jaji Military Cantonment, Kaduna.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that competition was organised to showcase indigenous Research and Development efforts in UAV technology.
The two-day competition was a collaboration between the Defence Research and Development Bureau, Defence Headquarters, with funding from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund alongside the Nigerian Communications Commission and National Information Technology Development Agency among others.
Olonisakin explained that in recent years the acquisition of specialised equipment, platforms and armament from foreign vendors in support of Nigeria’s primary operational objectives and maintenance regimes had faced difficulties.
“This has affected our ability to effectively meet up with current security challenges, as well as some contemporary domestic and environmental applications,” he said.
According to him, the Defence Headquarters strategic plan on R & D had focused on achieving a robust framework for operational efficiency, through innovative application of human and material resources.
He noted that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had also identified the setbacks in his policy statement.
“We must evolve viable mechanisms for near-self-sufficiency in military equipment and logistics production, complemented only by very advanced foreign technologies,” he said.
He added that in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive on local production of critical equipment and logistics, the DHQ, in collaboration with TETFund and other strategic partners, had established an R&D forum to enable the drive towards human capacity and technological development.
Olonisakin noted the many research and development activities in the country spearheaded by individual researchers under various organisations, saying: “It is evident from the projects we have just seen that the nation’s youths are making very giant strides in R & D.”
The CDS expressed his appreciation to the TETFund, NCC, NITDA and Proforce Nigeria Limited for their continued efforts towards ensuring the projection of the Nation to greater heights.
He reminded the participants not to see the end of the competition as the end of their excellence in the field of UAV technology, saying that excellence is not a one-off skill.
“You must strive to perform even better, because you are being given opportunities to showcase your capabilities as the nation’s fore-runners in research and development of UAV technology,” the CDS said.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof. Sulaiman Bogoro, while advising the participants, urged the youth to always venture into what would impact positively on their lives and the society.
Bogoro said the skills exhibited by the young talents at the competition indicated the case of a reversal of brain drain, stressing: “Nigeria has the capability to grow her own home technology.”
NAN reports that out of the 11 teams that participated in the competition, team Graffin emerged the winner, while Botics, Nabs Aero system and Arone teams tied in second position and the third position was also shared between team Jonny RC, Intersol and New Horizon.
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
