A locally made Mine Resistant Ambush Protection Vehicle, called “Ezeugwu MRAP” which has been described as the game changer is set for military operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP.
President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned the vehicles in Kaduna last December.
On Monday, a top military officer told PRNigeria that Ezeugwu MRAP will soon join infantry patrol vehicles.
The source also gave details of the new assets which are currently 10 units.
He explained that Ezeugwu is a 4 by 4 resistance ambush protection automobile designed to carry out extraction of troops, assault and counter-terrorism operations in harsh terrains.
The officer said: “Ezeugwu MRAP have been tested and proven to be a game-changer in the fight insurgency because of its features and capacity to ward off terrorists. The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), and Command Engineering Depot (CED) have also continued to work hard to improve the vehicle.
“The improved Ezeugwu MRAP has been tested in the North-East with optimal results. The feedback of its exploits from the theatre of operations led to the production of five additional units of the MRAP bringing total in the operation to 10 units.”
MRAP has a maximum output of 375 horsepower, turbo charged diesel engine, with the maximum Turk of 1650 Newton meters and it’s primary and secondary armament are 12.7 anti-aircraft guns and 7.62mm LMG GPMG.
The vehicles can resist mine blast of up to 12 kilograms TMT and can protect the troops inside the vehicle.
Ezeugwu MRAP has been described as a versatile machine and an innovation that poses a great threat to adversaries.
