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British army is ‘laughing stock’ of NATO

The British army is said to be the ‘laughing stock’ of NATO because its outdated rifles wouldn’t be able to kill Russian or Chinese soldiers in advanced body armour.
The army still uses the L115A3 ‘sniper’ rifle, while other armed forces had updated to the same company’s AX models, which are lighter and enable soldiers to see further in the distance, according to a serving senior officer.
‘The Europeans used to love all of our kit but now laugh at it,’ the officer told the Times.
They said that snipers from a NATO ally in eastern Europe was ‘mind blown’ by the UK still using the old rifles.
About 500 snipers in the British army have a L115A3 rifle and they feel underfunded and neglected, according to the officer, who added that the UK had ‘fallen far behind the curve as far as capability goes’.
Units other than snipers face similar issues. The SA-80 standard infantry rifle, which has been used by British soldiers for four decades, has reportedly not changed much since the 1980s.
The SA-80 uses a 5.56mm round, which is the NATO standard, and the rifle was designed to pierce through old Russian helmets that are not in usage anymore, a second source said, adding that the rifle was ‘heavy and clunky’.
They also said the SA-80 – of which 150,000 are believed to be currently in service – was one of the ‘least updated’ rifles that wasn’t even made by others anymore.
Other allies like the US army were instead using a different ammunition calibre, a 6.8mm round – which is considered more lethal than the 5.56mm – in combination with XM7 and XM250 rifles by US firearms specialist Sig Sauer.

The army is reportedly using the L115A3 ‘sniper’ rifle (pictured), while other armed forces had updated to the same company’s AX models, which are lighter and enable soldiers to see further in the distance

The SA-80 standard infantry rifle (pictured), which has been used by British soldiers for four decades, has reportedly not changed much since the 1980s
Meanwhile, Russian body armour has improved and its latest kit for infantry soldiers includes ‘level 4’ armour designed to withstand fire from a Russian 7.62mm rifle
‘Your average [British] soldier wouldn’t be able to defeat it, not even close,’ the source told the Times.
The SA-80, which has been updated over the last four decades, including an update in 2020, is reportedly set to be replaced as part of Project Grayburn, which is currently still in the concept phase.
The 5.56mm round used in the SA-80 ‘can’t defeat Russian body armour, and it’s easily outranged by the latest Russian small arms,’ late US Major General Robert Scales told a Senate hearing in 2017.
In 2020, this was followed up by General Mark Milley, the US army’s chief of staff at the time.
He said that the 5.56mm was not able to penetrate ‘a type of body armour’, adding that ‘adversarial states’ were selling this online.
The Times’ source said that the US introducing the 6.8mm hybrid round could mean that NATO allies might struggle to share rounds on the battlefield in the future.
They said that even though this was known, the ammunition switch was made ‘for good reason’ as the 5.56mm was now ‘obsolete’ against modern body armour, according to the source.

The 5.56mm round (pictured) used in the SA-80 ‘can’t defeat Russian body armour, and it’s easily outranged by the latest Russian small arms,’ late US Major General Robert Scales told a Senate hearing in 2017

The Ministry of Defence was ‘behind the curve’ in terms of switching to better and more efficient rounds for battlefield rifles, according to Robert Clark, who works as a research fellow at the Yorktown Institute think tank in Washington DC (file image of the SA-80)
The Ministry of Defence was ‘behind the curve’ in terms of switching to better and more efficient rounds for battlefield rifles, according to Robert Clark, who works as a research fellow at the Yorktown Institute think tank in Washington DC.
Clark said the idea behind smaller ammunition had the advantage of being more likely to wound soldiers rather than kill them, which means that it would remove soldiers involved in casualty extraction.
But he added that in recent conflicts fighters like those from Russia have been ‘less concerned’ about saving the wounded, which would make smaller, less lethal rounds ‘less useful’.
The 5.56mm round was ‘almost useless’ against the Russians and Chinese, according to Clark.
The British army source told the Times that the issues UK soldiers were facing were ‘swept under the carpet’ while the MoD was portraying that the military was ready for war.
An MoD spokesperson said in a statement that the SA-80 had been upgraded ‘in recent years’, adding that it was ‘one of the most accurate service rifles’ currently in use all over the world.
The spokeswoman also said that the 5.56mm rounds were ‘tried and tested’ as well as the Nato standard, which ensured ‘interoperability among allied forces’.
News
Police finally returned my stolen AI Ray-Ban sunglasses – Sowore

The Nigeria Police Force, NPF, has returned the Artificial intelligence, AI, Ray-Ban sun glasses back to activist politicians, Omoyele Sowore.
Sowore had alleged that the sun glass was stolen during a protest by retired police officers on July 21, 2025 at the Force headquarters.
The protest was organised to demand improved welfare and retirement benefits for Nigerian police officers.
During the peaceful protest, Sowore had claimed that the glass was stolen by one Aku Victor Chiemerie.
However, Sowore confirmed the return of the glasses in a post on X.
“Today, the Nigeria Police Force returned my stolen Ray-Ban Meta eyeglasses, stolen by the National Thief, Aku Victor Chiemerie, to me,” he wrote.
News
VP Shettima commissions library, other projects in Calabar

The Vice President, Kasshim Shettima has commissioned a state of the art library in Calabar recently refurbished by Gov Bassey Otu of Cross River State
He also commissioned the two newly acquired aircrafts by the government of Cross River State in the Margaret Ekpo international airport Calabar.
The two now increases the fleet of Cally Air airline to four.
The Vice President, who represented President Bola Tinubu, commended the State government for the feat.
Governor Bassey Otu expressed gratitude to the President for permitting Shettima to represent him at the auspicious occasion.
Otu said he is consolidating on the efforts and achievements of his predecessors, Donald Duke, Liyel Imoke and Ben Ayade who laid good foundation in three different important areas.
He said the Foundations have helped him to consolidate.
“Donald Duke came with tourism mentality, Senator Imoke focused on rural development while Ayade looked at industries.
“It was Ayade that initiated the aviation business. He actually purchased the first two aircrafts.
“I am now building on their efforts. With these two new aircrafts we’re poised to bolster the tourism potential of the state.
“We’ll add two more aircrafts before long to dominate the gulf of Guinea air route.”
News
Nigerian Govt arraigns Al-Shabab terrorists over killing of 40 worshippers in Owo church

The Federal Government on Monday arraigned five men before a Federal High Court in Abuja over their alleged involvement in the June 5, 2022 attack at St. Francs Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, in which over 40 worshippers died
The five accused persons are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar.
Over 40 people were reported to have died in the attack, while over 100 others sustained injuries.
The five defendants were arraigned on a nine-count terrorism charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025 filed by the Department of State Services, DSS.
They are accused of being members of Al Shabab terrorist group, belonging to a cell in Kogi State.
The defendants are also alleged to have carried out the attack in furtherance of their religious ideology.
They pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them by an official of the court.
Following their not guilty plea, prosecuting lawyer, Calistus Eze urged the court to order that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the DSS pending trial.
Defence lawyer, Abdullahi Muhammad however prayed the court to order the DSS to allow members of the defendants’ families and their lawyers to have access to them.
Muhammad said the defendants have been in custody since 2022 when they were arrested and have not had access to family members and lawyers.
Eze said it was the standard practice that detainees’ family members and lawyers should be granted access after a formal written request.
He noted that it has become inevitable at this stage that the defendants be allowed access to their lawyers to enable them prepare their defence.
Ruling, Justice Emeka Nwite ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the DSS.
Justice Nwite also ordered that the DSS grant the defendants access to members of their families and their lawyers.
He then adjourned till August 19 for the commencement of trial.
Some counts in the charge read:
* That you, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar adults, males, with others still at large, sometime in 2021, did join and became members of AL Shabab Terrorist Group, with cell in Kogi State and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 25(1) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
* That you, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, adults, males, with others still at large, on 30th May, 2022; 37 June, 2022 and 4 June, 2022, at Government Secondary School, Ogamirana, Adavi LGA, Kogi State and behind Omialafa Central Mosque, Ose LGA, Ondo State, respectively, attended and held meetings, where you agreed to and planned for the terrorist attack, which you carried out on 5™ June, 2022, at St. Francs Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12(a) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
* That you, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, adults, males, with others still at large, on 05/06/2022, at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, with intent to further your religious ideology and while armed with IEDs and AK 47 rifles, did attack worshippers, held them hostage and in the process, caused grievous bodily harm to over 100 persons, including Onileke Ayodele, John Blessing, Nselu Esther and Ogungbade Peter and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 24(2)(a) of the same Act.
* That you, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, adults, males, with others still at large, on 05/06/2022, had in your possession IEDs and AK 47 rifles, with which you attacked worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church, held them hostage, killed over 40 persons and caused grievous bodily harm to over 100 persons and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2(1)(2) and (3)(v) and punishable under Section 24(1) and (2) of TPPA, 2022.
* That you, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, adults, males, with others still at large, on 05/06/2022, at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, with intent to cause death, did detonate Improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which led to the death of over 40 persons, including: Ajanaku John; Onuoha Deborah; Onileke Esther and John Bosede and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 42 (a)(ii) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
* That you, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, adults, males, with others still at large, on 05/06/2022, at St. Francis Catholic Church , Owo, Ondo State, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, did detonate Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) which caused grievous bodily harm to over 100 persons, including: Onuchukwu Happiness, Ogungbade Vivan and Nnakwe Paschaline Ugochinyerem and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 42(a)(i) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
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