Nigeria: Local-made light patrol all-terrain vehicle used by the Army

March 17, 2019, a picture was released on the Twitter account of Marko Babic, showing Nigeria armed forces with local-made light patrol vehicle, which has the design of an All-Terrain vehicle. In February 2019, South African Online Defence magazine has announced that Nigeria has launched the production of its home-made light patrol vehicle.

Light Patrol Vehicle in the streets of Kaduna during Nigeria’s governorship and state assembly elections, on March 9, 2019. (Picture source Twiter account Marko Babic)

According to DefenceWeb, Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai on 26 January formally commissioned the Nigerian Army Vehicles Manufacturing Company (NAVMC) at Rigachikun in Kaduna state.

The design of the new light patrol vehicle produced in Nigeria seems very similar to the British Springer developed for the British Army by UK-based Enhanced Protection Systems (EPS). This type of vehicle was also used by U.S./ Special Forces under the name of Fast Attack Vehicle.

The Nigerian light patrol vehicle is a three-man on-road/off-road vehicle with two seats at the front and one gunner position at the rear. The roof of the vehicle is armed with one 12.7mmm heavy machine gun. It is based on a modified construction frame like those found for all-terrain off-road race cars. A strange feature, the vehicle is entirely unarmored, and thus offers no protection against firing of small arms fire, but the front part of the gunner position is protected with armor plates.

The Nigerian Army released photos showing ten vehicles identical to the Infantry Patrol Vehicle (IPV) unveiled during the first Nigerian Army Research and Innovation Summit held in Abuja in February 2017. The vehicle was displayed armed with 12.7 mm DsHK and 7.62 mm FN MAG machine guns and reportedly weighs 650 kg.