Reports credited to The Nation have it that about 50 percent of the vehicles sent in by the United States government to fight insurgency in Nigeria are not working.
Yesterday, the media was awash with reports of the delivery of over 24 Mine- Resistant Armour-Protected Vehicles (MRAP) to the Nigerian Army to boost the war against Boko Haram.
The vehicles were reportedly donated in line with the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme, and were said to be among those retrieved from Iraq and Afghanistan.
According to The Nation, it would cost the military millions in dollars to fix and equip the MRAP to standard use, especially because the spare parts could only be bought from the original manufacturers in America.
Manufactured in 2008, the minimum carriage capacity of each vehicle is five persons and can conveniently carry anti-air misiles, as well as M-15 calibre machine guns. It can withstand attacks from Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDs), dynamites and bombs.
Defence Minister Gen. Dan Ali, who was represented by Major-General Barry Ndiomu, during the presentation, said the vehicles would help protect troops against IEDs and help in the movement of men with little or no casualties.
“We appreciate what the US has done but like Oliver Twist, we will appreciate if more is done. The vehicles came without spare parts. Not all of them are serviceable. The U.S. should provide the spares to enable us repair those that need to be serviced,” he was quoted to have said.
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