Hyacinth Chinweuba
The Nigerian Army (NA) has corrected a wrong impression that attributed the conception and production of the Nigerian Army locally manufactured Mine Resistance Anti- Ambush Protected Vehicle (MRAP), to Emmanuel Ezeugwu.
The clarification is coming on the heels of an online publication on Nairaland Forum/Nairaland with a caption – “Meet Emmanuel Ezugwu: Military War Vehicle Named After Him”.
According to Colonel Sagir Musa Acting Director Army Public Relations, In the light of the above erroneous and misleading publication, the NA finds it necessary to correct the gross misrepresentation and wrong assertion and to put the records very clear that the Emmanuel Ezugwu referred to in the publication is NOT the brain behind the project.
Musa said, “The NA MRAP was indeed conceptualized, invented and designed by a serving army General – Major General Victor Okwudili Ezugwu the current Director General Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria.
Major General Victor Okwudili Ezugwu NOT Prof Emmanuel Ezugwu not only conceptualized and designed the production of the first ever Nigerian made MRAP, but also diligently supervised the production from the beginning to the end at the Army Command Engineering Depot (CED), Kaduna.
For record, history and posterity, find below a brief history of Maj Gen Victor Okwudili Ezugwu and the MRAP: Maj Gen Victor Okwudili Ezugwu was born on the 28 June 1964. He joined the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna on 27 September 1985 as a member of 37 Regular Combatant and Commissioned to the rank of 2Lt on 22 September 1990. ”
An infantry officer of high professional rating, he served Nigeria meritoriously in ECOMOG/UN Operations in Sierra Leone and Liberia and Operation RESTORE HOPE in Niger Delta, and commanded 28 Task Force Brigade in Adamawa State and 7 Division Maiduguri as General Officer Commanding from 2015 – 2017.” Musa said.
He was appointed Director General Defence Industries Corporation on 3 June 2019. An engineer by mere providence and passion, he initiated the design and production of prototypes variants of Light, tactical patrol as well as Armoured Fighting Vehicles by DICON-CED Kaduna.
In recognition of these feats, the Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen TY Buratai rewarded his achievements by naming the first indigenous MRAP as Ezugwu, stated Colonel Musa.