DSS plans to produce, sell drones, AK-47, others

The Department of State Services has said there are plans underway to commence the production of its own Unmanned Ariel Vehicles (UAVs) also known as drones, AK-47s, and other weapons that would be used by the service, and possibly sell it to other agencies.

Director-General of the secret police, Yusuf Bichi, who disclosed at the graduation ceremony of the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 16 participants in Abuja, said weapons produced by the personnel will soon be unveiled.

The spy master, who explained that the DSS will soon begin to “produce what it eats and eat what it produces”, stressed that UAVs are among the weapons the Secret Service will soon unveil, and when the plans materialise, the service would deploy the weapon across the country.

He said, “We shall support the institute in its training programmes. I care for the welfare of our staff, both active and retired. We shall never go back on that. We’ll also continue to pay attention to our research and development.

“In fact, sooner or later we shall start eating what we produce, and we produce what we eat. This is coded. It means we shall start deploying some of the assets we have or the platforms we produce by ourselves, including Unmanned Area Vehicles. We are producing our own AK-47.

“When we reach the destination, we will save the country from the pains of the resources being chunked out to buy such weapons,” the DG of the secret police told the gathering attended by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima; Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Femi Otedola, among other prominent Nigerians.

The DSS boss noted that this was to reduce the heavy reliance on foreign countries for weapons and the huge resources for the procurement of such weapons, adding that it would not relent in providing other security agencies with credible intelligence.

Bichi said, “We shall continue to appreciate all the agencies that partner with us in the journey so far. And I promise the other security agencies that the DSS will continue to provide you with proactive intelligence to drive your operations intelligence. We have achieved that in different parts of the country.

“And I have to thank the military and the police especially for giving us that opportunity and appreciating our own input in the fight against terrorism and insurgency in different parts of the country. We are going to sustain that by the grace of God. For the generality of the people.”

He, however, urged residents of Plateau and Kaduna to shun their hostilities and convert them to jobs.

Bichi said, “Let me just advise us, especially the people of Plateau and Kaduna. It is now time for you and me to return Plateau to its 1970s situation where Plateau or Jos was seen as a tourist, attractive state or city. But with conflict, all the industries in Plateau are gone. No peace. You are idle. So please, turn your hostilities into jobs.

“We have seen that it happens in so many places. The Kanuris and Fulanis turn their hostilities into jobs. Kano and Zaira also did. So please do that and save the nation from disaster. Because there is no point from 1991 to date at the interval of four years you are having ethno-religious conflict.

“It’s not good. Talk to yourselves. Talk to your people. Be focused. See the development of Plateau. See what development and security. If you want development in your state, if you want security, you want development.”

The DSS DG also urged Nigerians to desist from disparaging their leaders.

He said, “We have the indices of a great nation. So, It’s a question of how do you get out of that. Let us avoid simmering or disparaging our leaders. You can’t go anywhere by doing so.

“Most especially we are in a democratic dispensation. If you are patient enough, you can be able to achieve what somebody achieved now or in the near future. Let us talk to ourselves.”