The Nigerian Army has received 15 locally manufactured Vanquisher Light Armoured Personnel Carriers (also known as All-Terrain Combat Vehicles) from the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) in collaboration with Vanquish Industries Limited, a Kaduna-based indigenous company. The handover ceremony took place in Kaduna, marking a key milestone in Nigeria’s drive toward defence self-reliance and indigenous military production.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shu’aibu (represented by Maj.-Gen. Bamidele Alabi, Chief of Policy and Plans), described the event as a historic moment that demonstrates Nigeria’s advancing capacity to produce mission-ready hardware tailored to national security needs. He commended the ingenuity of local manufacturers, highlighted the vehicles’ suitability for Nigeria’s diverse terrains, and reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to supporting homegrown innovations under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s defence policy.

The Vanquisher vehicles feature all-terrain mobility, ballistic protection against small arms, shrapnel, and IED threats, 360-degree night vision cameras for enhanced situational awareness, and adaptability for missions including reconnaissance, patrols, convoy escorts, troop transportation, and internal security operations. The 15 units delivered form part of a larger production batch of 20 ballistic-protected platforms developed through the partnership between DICON, Vanquish Industries Limited, and the Command Engineering Depot.

This delivery underscores Nigeria’s progress in reducing reliance on foreign imports, fostering job creation, building technical expertise, and equipping troops with reliable, locally adapted equipment to address modern security challenges effectively.