The House of Representatives Committee on Defence has summoned Heads of security agencies in the country over their refusal to buy arms and ammunition from the Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria, (DICON).
Rep. Taofeek Ajilesoro (PDP-Osun) moved the motion when the DICONs Director-General, Maj.-Gen. Hassan Tafida, appeared before the committee to defend the 2022 budget performance and 2023 Budget proposal.
Tafida had accused other security agencies of not patronising DICON for the purchase of arms and ammunition from the corporation, adding that they rather preferred to go outside to buy. This according to him is because there is no law stopping or compelling them from purchasing arms and ammunition from DICON.
He said others in the private sector were already coming in and building factories, stressing that producing the Armoured Personnel Carriers and also going into production of weapons and ammunition was essential According to him, all that was needed to be put in place was the countrys own home-grown technology, saying, if you wait to transfer technology from anywhere, you would not get it so we have to start producing ours.
The Chairman of the committee, Rep. Babajimi Benson, said there was a need to first source arms and ammunition locally before going outside.
He said the lawmakers would give it a legal tooth compelling all security agencies to buy arms and ammunition from DICON.
