A silent revolution in the armoured personnel carrier (APC) market is on course at the quiet town of Ode-Remo, Ogun State, where an indigenous company is designing and manufacturing armoured vehicles for a wide spectrum of end-users.
Proforce Limited Nigeria has been developing and manufacturing armoured vehicles ideal for military, police, and other law enforcement agencies’ operations, alongside armouring private vehicles for VIPs and after sales servicing of all types of armoured vehicles since 2010.
Olusegun Aganga, minister of Trade and Investment, and Samuel Ortom, the minister of State of the same Ministry, pledged the support of federal government to the project. The company’s products, particularly the amoured personel carrier (Pf3 APC) the Armoured Patrol Vehicles were said to have so impressed them when visited the plant at different times when they saw a team of local personnel and few expatriates producing both the personnel carriers and patrol vehicles.
Comparing the finished products ready for delivery at the premises with what they had seen elsewhere, they remarked that the products from the Ode-Remo armouring facility would compete favourably with those made in developed countries and indeed provide better value for money.
During a tour of the facility early in the week, Abimbola Owojori of Proforce Ltd’s Strategic Research and Development Department, guided some guests though various stages of production and disclosed that military and police officers, as well as those from other uniformed agencies like Immigration and Customs, have also hailed the quality standards of the vehicles.
Owojori listed other products of the plant as Armoured Cash Movement Vehicle (bullion vans of different kinds); BMC 250-10 Z (4×4) Weapon Carrier Vehicle (a multi-purpose armoire vehicle); and Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle (BM 350-16Z [4×4] MRAP).
Depending on the needs of the end user, design alterations of key components and extra provisions can be rendered on the vehicles. All raw materials such as vehicles’ body (ballistic steel that protect the sides, roof and under-bodies), and windows (ballistic glass) are supplied and fully certified for quality by the world leading suppliers of armoured vehicle components.
The materials are resistant to AK-47 gunshots and assaults with improvised explosive devices (IEDs). All the vehicles are rolled by special run-flat tyres that can endure several kilometres journey even when deflated.
Enhancing the capability of the APCs is the preference of Proforce Limited’s Pf3 APC and Amoured Patrol Vehicles have enhanced capability in performing in the local terrain
MIKE OCHONMA
