Inside Katsina’s Homegrown Armoured Personnel Carrier Factory 

As the shift toward locally made defence equipment is not only enhancing tactical capabilities on the front lines, Francis Sardauna x-rays the Track Armoured Personnel Carrier (TAPC) manufactured by the Katsina-based engineering company, Techno-Em Global Solutions Limited

In Katsina State, where attacks on rural communities have claimed hundreds of lives and displaced thousands, a new chapter has unfolded as Techno-Em Global Solutions Limited, under the leadership of Ibrahim Lawal Dankaba, has built a Track Armoured Personnel Carrier (TAPC) to support the government in tackling the age-old conflict.

Dankaba’s self-initiative, conceptualised by his resilience and hard work, commenced early this month (September) with the designing and fabricating of homegrown steel plates to form the armoured components and integrating them into a complete security vehicle chassis.

These locally fabricated armoured components were carefully and conspicuously mounted and welded to the Track Armoured Personnel Carrier vehicle’s frame with full bullet resistance and a remote-control device which monitors the movement of the enemies.

With a berth of seven seats and specialised equipment such as a robotic turret, Dynamic Positioning System (DPS) and a cargo belt, the prototype armoured personnel carrier provides a protected and mobile platform for security personnel, giving them a significant advantage in hostile environments.

The robotic turret of the TAPC is designed to allow the cabin crew to fire guns without necessarily coming out. It paves the way for them to also gather intelligence and monitor enemy movements from a safe distance, providing critical situational awareness for commanders.

When certified by relevant authorities for usage, the armoured vehicle would shield soldiers and other security operatives from small arms fire, artillery shrapnel, landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), reducing casualties and increasing operational effectiveness.

Using continuous and interlocking tracks instead of wheels to move, the armoured carrier vehicle has well-designed steel tracks or undercarriage to operate, moving quickly and safely through high-risk terrains, including rugged and challenging landscapes that some security vehicles might find difficult to enter or operate.

It can also swiftly transport security operatives to strategic locations and provide covering fire when needed, allowing them to manoeuvre more effectively. This mobility is essential for rapid response and for sustaining operations in remote or difficult-to-access communities in states like Katsina.

More importantly, the engine of this security vehicle has provisions for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and diesel, thereby allowing forces to project power and maintain security across wide and diverse geographic areas.

While some operational vehicles have ground clearance between 170 and 200mm, this carefully designed track armoured personnel carrier has a ground clearance capacity of 600mm, making it exceptionally high and offering significant capacity for traversing rough and uneven terrains across the state.

Beyond combat, the prototype armoured personnel carrier is also crucial for logistics because of its cargo belt. It can transport essential supplies, equipment and medical personnel to operatives in the battlefield, which is vital for sustained operations and for reducing the vulnerability of supply lines to attacks.

Although it is the first-of-its-kind initiative in Katsina, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Techno-Em Global Solutions Limited, Ibrahim Lawal Dankaba, is betting on this homegrown technology to do what boots on the ground have struggled to achieve for decades.

With rigorous quality control at in-house shooting ranges to ensure compliance with strict ballistic and manufacturing standards, Dankaba believes that the armoured vehicle has reinforced structures to protect its occupants from bullets, explosions and assaults.

Speaking on what informed his decision to manufacture the armoured personnel carrier, Dankaba said: “The idea came from the fact that we have looked around insurgency and other criminalities going on, and looked for ways to help ourselves, communities and the government to keep us safe.

“The military, the police and the residents are doing their best, but we also felt that we could contribute our quota in addressing the crisis. So, we decided to construct this Track Armoured Personnel Carrier. This vehicle gives more manoeuvrability; it can access any terrain. It’s an all-terrain vehicle. It does not care whether the terrain is sandy or muddy.

“We decided to construct the TAPC because we want it to access all terrains available in the Sahel region of Nigeria and to help secure our state and the country at large. The cabin can take up to seven officers. It has a cargo belt that can carry relief or support materials to hard-to-reach communities.”

He explained that the company used steel plates to manufacture the prototype armoured personnel carrier. “But by the time it scales through, we will be using ballistic materials to provide the armoured and steel tracks.”

“It’s cheaper than the foreign APCs and by the time we are fully supported by the government for more production, we will be creating additional jobs for our teeming youths and bringing out the strength of our engineering also,” he added.

Asked whether the TAPC has been certified by relevant authorities, the Managing Director of Techno-Em Global Solutions Limited said: “We are reaching out to the Office of the National Security Adviser for clearance and certification so that we can continue producing more to fight insecurity in Katsina and the country at large.”

Noting that the company is more committed and interested in producing the Track Armoured Personnel Carriers to overcome the challenges of the terrains, Dankaba said in the future: “We look forward to building drones and other security gadgets as the case may be.”

While metal sheets were properly bent and formed under immense pressure to achieve the correct angles and shapes for the vehicle’s body, its manufacturer said special attention was given to interior features, including protection for components like the engine, radiator and systems for crew safety.

Dedicating the prototype armoured personnel carrier to the families of those who lost their loved ones in the ongoing war against banditry and insurgency, Dankaba noted that it will support the state and federal governments’ efforts to bring an end to criminality and restore peace, which is paramount to progress and sustainable development.

However, this life-saving initiative underscores the commitment of the Kaita-born successful entrepreneur and administrator in supporting Governor Dikko Umaru Radda’s government in tackling security challenges besetting some agrarian communities in the state.

Therefore, it is imperative for the government at all levels to support Dankaba’s homegrown armoured personnel carrier because it is a strategic move for state and national security, economic growth, job creation and technological sovereignty of the country.

Dankaba, who is the current Executive Director of the Katsina State Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, deserves accolades and financial support from both the state and federal governments to sustain this homegrown security system for infantry fighting.

Supporting domestic solutions like this ensures control over the technology used to protect lives and property, critical infrastructure and sensitive data, and averts supply chain disruptions and embedded vulnerabilities or backdoors that could be exploited by other countries.

If properly harnessed and supported, the initiative would foster a culture of innovation and lead to the creation of advanced technologies that can have dual-use applications in both the public and private sectors, enhancing the state’s security architecture and avoiding waste of resources.

This robust security strategy can equally help in diversifying the state economy because the skills and technologies developed for security purposes can be leveraged to create new commercial products and services, thereby boosting the overall economy of the state.

By supporting Techno-Em Global Solutions Limited to manufacture more of these high-quality armoured personnel carriers, it will build and strengthen domestic supply chains, reduce dependency on foreign suppliers and make the state more resilient to global economic and political shocks.

When a government supports the development of homegrown technology like this, it can directly influence how it is designed and used. This includes building in safeguards to protect human rights, privacy and personal data from the outset.

It can also lead to the export of security products and services, generating foreign exchange earnings and improving Katsina and the nation’s international standing as a technological leader.

The ability to protect and transport personnel, provide fire support and facilitate logistics makes the newly manufactured prototype armoured personnel carrier by Ibrahim Lawal Dankaba a cornerstone of any strategy aimed at combating terrorism, banditry and other forms of insecurity.

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When certified by relevant authorities for usage, the armored vehicle would shield soldiers and other security operatives from small arms fire, artillery shrapnel, landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), reducing casualties and increasing operational effectiveness. Using continuous and interlocking tracks instead of wheels to move, the armoured carrier vehicle has well-designed steel tracks or undercarriage to operate, move quickly and safely through high-risk terrains, including rugged and challenging landscapes that some security vehicles might find it difficult to enter or operate