The Nigerian Air Force has intensified efforts in the fight against insurgency and other crimes in the country.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, AVM Olatokunbo Adesanya, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Adesanya said NAF and other services had since 2015 intensified efforts to decimate the insurgents.
He said the terrorists no longer held any of the country’s territories “not even hoisting their flags in these areas’’, adding that they were now attacking soft targets.
He said what the service was doing basically, especially in the fight against the insurgents, was Intelligence Surveillance Recognisance (ISR) mission.
He said the aim of ISR was to gather intelligence which NAF’s fighter jets would later share with surface forces in the battle field and launch attacks on the insurgents’ hideouts and their logistics.
The director added that the service had devoted a lot of resources, especially in the area of intelligence gathering, which led to the recovery of some of the Chibok girls and other hostages held by the insurgents.
“With intelligence gathering, we are able to bomb their logistics and supply lines. And these usually cripple their plans to regroup and restraegise to attack soft targets.
“We have been doing these on regular basis and it has gone a long way in disorganising the terrorists,” he said.
Adesanya also said apart from the aerial support in the fight against the insurgents, NAF had contributed immensely to the ground troops.
“We have also contributed immensely in the area of evacuating victims of the insurgency to a safer place for better treatment.
“As well as supplying logistics to the troops, especially food, to feed the personnel located in remote areas in the North-East,” he said.
He said the service had also ensured that there was peace through out the country by deploying its personnel to all the six geo-political zones.
“In the Southsouth, we are on steady air patrol and this has enabled the service to destroy several oil bages containing stolen crude oil.
“We are ever on the lookout for pipeline vandals and other miscreants who pose threats to the nation’s critical assets.
“In the Southwest, we have been able to contain oil bunkering and other criminal activities, especially in the Arepo Area of Ogun, and other threats from other zones of the country.
“In the South-East, we have also deployed our personnel to ensure peace in the area, especially during the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) disturbance,” he said.
The director said the service would continue to ensure the security of the country, including protection of lives and property.
The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) yesterday said it killed many Boko Haram insurgents and destroyed their structures following air strikes in the fringes of Borno, near Lake Chad.
The bombardments were conducted with fighter jets and helicopter gunships, with the aim of weakening insurgents and neutralising them from carrying out deadly attacks.
Director of Public Relations and Information Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, in a statement yesterday, said the air interdictions were conducted after a routine Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission showed a strong presence of terrorists in Tumbun Rago and Bogumeri, Borno State.
The statement reads: “The Air Force has intensified its air operations in the Northeast, and in the process, neutralised many Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) in Tumbun Rago, a settlement on the northern fringes of Borno State, bordering Lake Chad.
“Boko Haram activities were sighted in Tumbun Rago during a routine ISR mission on December 20; the area is occupied by the Albarnawi faction.
“Accordingly, fighter aircrafts and helicopters were detailed for air interdiction on December 21.
“The aircrafts took turns to unleash their armament on the location. Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) of the attacks showed that the targeted structures were destroyed, causing fire within the location and neutralising many insurgents in the process.
“Thereafter, the recently acquired helicopter gunships carried out mop-up attacks on a few fleeing insurgents. On December 22, the NAF neutralised a large gathering of terrorists Southeast of Bogumeri, also in Borno State, after a convoy of terrorists on motorcycles were trailed to the location.
“The intensification of air operations by the NAF is aimed at further reducing the will of the terrorists to continue their nefarious activities, while also creating the needed advantage for own surface forces to effectively operate.”
To ensure a well balanced and productive life after service, the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre ( NAFRC ), Oshodi on sunday commenced a two-week entrepreneurship and management training programmes for 40 senior military officers of the general cadre.
The officers comprising 15 from the Nigerian Army (NA), 10 from the Navy (NN), 10 from the Air Force (NAF) and five from NAFRC are expected to within two weeks, come up with viable business plans that would be scrutinised by the training facilitators, Empretec Nigeria Foundation.
Inaugurating this year’s second edition of the course in Lagos yesterday, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin urged the participants to take the training seriously.
Olonisakin, who was represented by the Chief of Defence Administration, Rear Admiral Muazu Salami, said: “As senior managers of the military enterprise, you are now being prepared to deploy knowledge already acquired in the course of your career to more civil use. There is no doubt that life after service presents peculiar challenges, one of which is the need for retired officers to be able to still engage in meaningful economic activities with the aim of ensuring a productive and wholesome life after military service.
“This is the aim of this training workshop. l have been reliably informed that this training will expose you to discussions and exercises that would adequately prepare you to handle challenges encountered in retirement, particularly concerning that of starting your own businesses.
“I therefore congratulate you all on your nomination to this workshop and urge you to take full advantage of the benefits it offers. I also expect that some of the skills you will acquire would add value to your productivity at your respective services.”
Noting that it was the first time the training was being conducted at NAFRC since its inception in 2011, the CDS said the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) was working towards a review of the mandate of the centre to accommodate new thinking in line with modern trends.
Aside the inauguration of the training, Olonisakin unveiled NAFRC’s remodelled 50 bedroomed guest house and a newly built resource centre.
Earlier, NAFRC Commandant, Air Vice Marshal Ajibola Jekennu over 42 thousand servicemen and women have benefitted from the skills acquisition programme of the centre.
Represented by his deputy, Maj.-Gen. Edward Nze, Jekennu said the participants would be taken through various modules specially designed to meet their needs.
He said: “Records and feedback we get indicate that a good number of out trainees are doing well in civil life. The centre is not stopping at juts training servicemen. The desire of the CDS to extend our services to commissioned officers informed our collaboration with Empretec Nigeria Foundation.
“The senior officers entrepreneurship and management training workshop is designed to equip them with essential tools and requisite information towards positioning themselves for productive life after service.
“The objective is mainly ri refocus attention to the fact that a meaningful and productive life can be pursued even after service. Managerial experiences and skills accumulated while in service could be skillfully put to use in civilian pursuits in order to live a wholesome, fulfilling life and still contribute to the progress of the country after military service.”
Giving a run down of the programme, Empretec’s Country Director, Mrs. Onari Duke tasked the generals to give in their best, adding that those with good business plans would have access to local and international grants available.
According to her, the initiative was from the United Nations and was currently running through 33 countries.
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, on Thursday in Lagos named a building in honour of Late Squadron Leader, Promise Gbenekannu, who died in the fight against insurgency.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the building is a six by three bedroom flats for officers at the Sam Ethnan Air Force Base, Ikeja.
Inaugurating the building, Abubakar said that NAF would continue to uphold its commitment toward the welfare of personnel and their families.
““This building being inaugurated today has been named after one of our fallen heroes.
““The fallen hero died on board the C-130 aircraft while on a logistics support mission for troops fighting insurgency and terrorism in the North East of the country.
“”The fallen hero was a C-130 pilot,’’ said the CAS, represented by Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Yahaya.
He added that similar building had been constructed in all NAF bases to provide conducive atmosphere for personnel in line with the change agenda of President Muhamadu Buhari.
“”Accordingly, providing decent housing for officers remains one of the first priorities of our policy thrust towards ensuring that NAF personnel and their families live in a befitting accommodation,” he said.
He said that NAF had also embarked on the renovation of more accommodation facilities as well as rehabilitation of roads and drainage systems in the base.
““It is hoped that this would create enabling environment and motivation for personnel to discharge their duties effectively and efficiently,” he said.
On insurgency, Abubakar said NAF recently received some new equipment which were undergoing reactivation to enhance the ability to conduct counter-insurgency operations.
““The effort of government at adequately equipping the service would enhance professionalism and facilitate effective performance of our constitutional roles.
““We will continue to do our utmost to meet our statutory responsibility of defending the territorial integrity of the nation,” he said.
The Air Force Chief urged the officers to continue to reposition NAF into a highly professional force, assuring that government would continue to provide support to sustain the tempo of operations against insurgency.
The wife of the deceased officer, Mrs Justina Gbenekannu, while speaking with journalists, commended the NAF for naming the building in memory of her husband.
“Life has not been the same after the passing out of my husband and I get emotional sometimes but he lived a fulfilled life as short as it was. (NAN)
The Air Force has destroyed barges containing stolen oil products at Adokiakiri community in Niger Delta.
Spokesman Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said the illegal oil barges and storage facilities were spotted by NAF EC-135 Helicopter during an armed reconnaissance mission on Sunday.
He said the barges were destroyed.
The director said NAF remained resolute in making oil theft and bunkering unprofitable.
The Nigerian Air Force yesterday launched more air strikes against Boko Haram terrorists in Sambisa to weaken their capacity.
It said the battle damage assessment indicated the building housing the terrorists were neutralised after bombardment of the area by the fighter jets.
A statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information of the NAF, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, informed in the closing stages of the Operation Ruwan Wuta II, the NAF air interdiction were focussed on the hideouts of the terrorists in Sambisa.
The statement supported with a video clip reads: “In the closing stages of Operation RUWAN WUTA II, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) continued to rain significant fire on Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) hideouts, with intensive day and night aerial bombardments.
“On 30 October 2017, the NAF conducted an air interdiction mission on a blue-roofed structure in TALALA, a BHT infested location in Sambisa.
“Intelligence reports from NAF Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance platforms as well as Human Intelligence had revealed that a sizeable number of BHTs were holding a meeting in the blue-roofed building.
“Consequently, a NAF fighter aircraft was scrambled to attack the building.
“Subsequent Battle Damage Assessment revealed that the building and its occupants were neutralized as a result of the air strike.
“It would be recalled that the NAF initiated Operation RUWAN WUTA II, on 23 October 2017, to further decimate the ability of the BHTs to freely operate with a view to giving advantage to our surface forces and thereby frustrate the efforts of the BHTs to recapture any Nigerian territory.”
A retired Air Vice Marshal (AVM) and his driver have recovered dead after their Ford Explorer Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) plunged into the lagoon Saturday night.
The incident occurred around 10:55pm, by the University of Lagos (UNILAG) waterfront.
A motorist had told The Nation that: “There was a vehicle inside the lagoon. People are trapped in it. The vehicle was heading into Lagos Island. Fishermen and LASEMA are trying to safe the occupants of the vehicle now. May God help them.”
The deceased were said to be driving inward Lagos Island, when they colluded with another vehicle on the bridge.
As a result of the accident, the SUV, it was gathered, tumbled several times before skidding into the lagoon.
It was learnt that officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and local fishermen recovered the bodies from the submerged vehicle around 2:30am.
According to a source, they both had their seat belts on and didn’t have physical injuries.
He said: “All the air bags in the vehicle came out. It was a serious accident. The burnet pulled out and the roof was flattened, which indicated that the vehicle might have tumbled at least three times before nosediving.
“The vehicle was over 75 percent submerged into the muddy part of the lagoon. When we brought it out, we had to first raise the flattened vehicle to avoid inflicting injuries on the bodies.
“The GM has been in touch with his family and officers from the Nigerian Air Force. I think the General’s family members are abroad.”
A prominent Lagosian, the AVM, it was gathered retired from the Nigerian Air Force some years ago and had since devoted his time, resources in the real estate sector.
It was learnt that the retired General came into Nigeria last Tuesday from the United Kingdom to attend a burial.
General Manager LASEMA, Adesina Tiamiyu confirmed the incident, but declined further comments on the issue.
He said: “This is a sad incident. I can only tell you that we recovered two bodies. I cannot say who they are because it won’t be fair to the families to learn about the demise of their loved ones from the media.”
The Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) have renewed their attacks against Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast, destroying their structures and killing scores of them in various military operations.
According to a statement from the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. General Sani Usman, troops of 112 Task Force Battallion and Mobile Strike Team were able to locate the hideouts of the insurgents in parts of Borno State and launched attacks on them, recovering weapons and vehicles from the insurgents.
Similarly in a separate statement, The Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya said the NAF has continued its air strikes against Boko Haram to ensure the group is cleared from the Northeast as soon as possible.
Gen Sani Usman said : “Troops of 112 Task Force Battalion and Mobile Strike Teams of 22 Brigade of Operation Lafiya Dole in collaboration with some members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) have (on Friday, 27th October 2017), based on credible information from well meaning Nigerians, carried out clearance operations in Gawa, Bone, Kajeri 1, Kajeri 2, Kube, Dubula, Boboshe 1 and Boboshe 2 villages, Borno State.
“During the operation, the gallant troops discovered that the terrorists had make shift night market in Boboshe with newly harvested farm produce on display for sale.
“After conducting a thorough search of the vicinity, they recovered three Isuzu vehicles, four Dane guns, one dummy gun, suspected to be used for training of inducted Boko Haram terrorists and mattresses hidden under shrubs, amongst several other items ahead of Bone village.
“They also rescued five persons taken captives by the criminal terrorists gang at Boboshe 1 and Dubula. The troops of Operation Lafiya Dole are more determined and resolute to ensure that the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists are located and neutralised.
“Accordingly, the general public is please requested to continue to volunteer credible information to security agencies in the ongoing clearance operations in the North East.”
On his part, Air Commodore Adesanya said: “The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified its intensive day and night aerial bombardments of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) locations within the Northeast.
“On 26 October 2017, the fourth day of the ongoing Operation RUWAN WUTA II, the NAF conducted air interdiction on some structures in DURE, a BHT-infested location, 12km east of SAMBISA. Reports from NAF Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance platforms had revealed the gradual resurgence of BHT activities in the settlement, particularly at the targeted structures, which were hideouts for the terrorists.
“Five aircraft namely three x Alpha Jet aircraft and two x F-7Ni aircraft conducted the air interdiction missions. The Alpha Jet aircraft and the F-Ni aircraft took turns to attack the location with bombs, destroying the targeted structures and killing the terrorists.”
The Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) have renewed their attacks against the Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast, destroying their structures and killing scores of them in various military operations aimed at decimating the ability of the group.
According to a statement from the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. General Sani Usman, troops of 112 Task Force Battallion and Mobile Strike Team were able to locate the hideouts of the insurgents in parts of Borno state and launched attacks on them, recovering weapons and vehicles from the insurgents.
Similarly in a seperate statement, The Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya said the NAF has continued its air strikes against Boko Haram to ensure the group is cleared from the Northeast as soon as possible.
Gen Sani Usman said : “Troops of 112 Task Force Battalion and Mobile Strike Teams of 22 Brigade of Operation LAFIYA DOLE in collaboration with some members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) have on Friday, 27th October 2017, based on credible information from well meaning Nigerians, carried out clearance operations in Gawa, Bone, Kajeri 1, Kajeri 2, Kube, Dubula, Boboshe 1 and Boboshe 2 villages, Borno State.
“During the operation, the gallant troops discovered that the terrorists had make shift night market in Boboshe with newly harvested farm produce on display for sale.
“After conducting a thorough search of the vicinity, they recovered 3 Isuzu vehicles, 4 Dane guns, 1 Dummy gun, suspected to be used for training of inducted Boko Haram terroists and mattresses hidden under shrubs, amongst several other items ahead of Bone village.
” They also rescued 5 persons taken captives by the criminal Boko Haram terrorists gang at Boboshe 1 and Dubula.
“The troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE are more determined and resolute to ensure that the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists are located and neutralised.
“Accordingly, the general public is please requested to continue to volunteer credible information to security agencies in the ongoing clearance operations in the North East.
On his part Air Commodore Adesanya said : “The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified its intensive day and night aerial bombardments of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) locations within the Northeast.
“On 26 October 2017, the fourth day of the ongoing Operation RUWAN WUTA II, the NAF conducted air interdiction on some structures in DURE, a BHT-infested location, 12km east of SAMBISA. Reports from NAF Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance platforms had revealed the gradual resurgence of BHT activities in the settlement, particularly at the targeted structures, which were hideouts for the terrorists.
“Five aircraft namely 3 x Alpha Jet aircraft and 2 x F-7Ni aircraft conducted the air interdiction missions. The Alpha Jet aircraft and the F-Ni aircraft took turns to attack the location with bombs, destroying the targeted structures and killing the terrorists.
“The Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) conducted after the strikes revealed that some of the structures were set ablaze by the bomb explosions.
“On the same day, the NAF conducted air interdiction missions on a BHT-infested settlement in MANGUSUM.
“The location was attacked, in succession, by 2 F-7Ni aircraft and 3 x Alpha Jet aircraft. The F-7Ni aircraft and some of the Alpha Jet aircraft attacked the targets with bombs, destroying BHT structures in the location and sending a few BHT survivors fleeing.
“Thereafter, another Alpha Jet aircraft followed up with rocket and cannon attacks in the target area, strafing the fleeing terrorists in the process. Subsequent BDA of the attack indicated some burnt structures and significant casualties inflicted on the BHTs.
“Operation RUWAN WUTA II, which was initiated by the NAF leadership, as a follow-up to the hugely successful Operation RUWAN WUTA, has so far proved to be even more successful”.
The Police in Lagos on Monday paraded four new recruits of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and seven others including an employee of the Lagos State Water Corporation for vandalising iron pipes worth about N25million.
Air Crew Men (ACM) Akingbola Wole, Ugbong Abel, Alalifu George and Kumish Revelation attached to 055 NAF Camp, Victoria Island, were contracted by the Water Board’s employee, Olayiwole Oyedele to provide security during the vandalism on Saturday morning.
Also arrested were the buyer, Okechukwu Alozie, Wale Lawal, Babatunde Samson, Ismaila Adejare, Iliasu Ibrahim and Ikechukwu Ezemba.
It was gathered that Oyedele sold the irons to Alozie for N650,000 and had already collected N200,000 upfront.
According to Oyedele, he agreed to pay the soldiers N35,000 for their service, adding that Wole collected N20,000 as advance payment.
He said: “I have been a civil servant with Lagos State Government for over 22 years. I work with the water corporation. The irons are scraps that we abandoned after installing new ones.
Air Force nabbed
“I was not supposed to carry them but the buyer (Alozie) contacted me that the one that was auctioned to him has finished and he wanted more.
“So, when we went to carry those ones where they were abandoned, hoodlums in the area refused. They did not demand money but they said we would not carry them.
“That was how I contacted one of my relatives and told him I needed some soldiers that would help scare the hoodlums away and also escort the pipes to China Town, where the buyer wanted them delivered.
“It was Akingbola (Wole) that he introduced me to. He was the one I gave the money to and he brought his other colleagues. I did not discuss anything with the others.
It was at the point of loading that policemen came and arrested us all.”
But the soldiers claimed they never knew that Oyedele was stealing the irons, adding that they discovered it at the scene when they saw that the pipes were government property.
Wole, who admitted that he collected N20,000 from Oyedele, said the others did not know the amount paid.
He claimed that he demanded to see a note instructing Oyedele to carry the pipes when they got to the scene, adding that he personally took the note to the police for confirmation.
Wole said: “I did not know that he was stealing the pipes. When he called me, he said that he wanted an escort to carry some pipes. I told my course mates that we were going for guard duty at a wedding.
“I told them that the person in charge provided transport for us but I did not tell them how much. It was when we got to the scene that they know that it was water pipes. But when I saw the pipes, I told the man that they were government property and that we need to see a pass.
“He showed us his identity card that he worked there and also showed a letter that indicated he was permitted to carry the pipes. I told my other colleagues to wait there and I went to the police station to confirm the man’s claim.
“But before I got to the station, I saw that the police have already arrested them and told the civilians among them to sit on the ground.”
The other soldiers lamented that they knew nothing about the deal, insisting that they were only out to help a ‘relative’ of their course mate who was supposed to be a wedding.
There was however mild drama at the parade ground after Ezemba started wailing insisting he knew nothing about the crime.
Ezemba, a lottery man, said he was only watching in amazement as policemen arrested the soldiers when he was roped in.
He said: “I do not know anything about it. I am a Lotto man and was passing by when I saw policemen arresting soldiers. I was surprised because I did not know the police could arrest military people. I was watching and next thing, they arrested me. My family members do not know I am here even. I am innocent.”
Parading the suspects, acting Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal said they were arrested around 11:42amon Saturday, following a tip off.
He said: “We received information that some group of robbers with some Air Force personnel wearing military camouflage where at Doyin Bus Stop, Orile vandalizing iron pipe belonging to Lagos State Water Corporation.
“They had one clerk crane and an Iveco 63 truck marked MUS772 XD. Two decoy teams of SARS operatives were mobilized to Orile to monitor the situation and in the process, seven of the suspects were arrested while vandalizing the iron pipe with four Air Force personnel giving them security back up to avoid police interference at the point of loading the iron pipes.
“The Air Force personnel would be handed over to their Commanding Officer while the other suspects would be charged to court.”
Similarly, the police arrested one Onyekachi Osunkwo, 35, who admitted to having bought countless stolen vehicles.
Osunkwo, who claimed to have been imprisoned in the United States of America in 2014 and in Nigeria the following year for the same offence, said he was glued to the business because he made 100 percent profit.
According to him, he usually sold each vehicle with 100 percent profit, adding that his supplies brought stolen vehicles for him at least twice a week.
The Imo State indigene said he was introduced into the business by one Ndubuisi when he returned from the US in 2014, adding that though he made so much money from it, he had done nothing tangible with the money.
He said: “I usually help people. If I buy a car N400,000, I sell it for N800,000. From the profit, I usually assisted people with needs. I haven’t done anything tangible with all the money I made from buying stolen cars.
“There was a time I had so much money that I wanted to pay my landlord three years upfront. But I did not because I did not want him to start suspecting me. So, I usually paid him yearly. I was arrested at my residence in Iba Estate. They didn’t tell me what my offence was. They just told me to follow them to the station and it was when I got here that they said I usually bought stolen vehicles. I didn’t argue. I have already told the police everything I know.”
The police said Toyota Sienna Buses marked LSR246EL and EKY434CA, as well as a Toyota Corolla car APP09SN were recovered from Osunkwo, urging the rightful owners to come forward with evidence and claim the vehicles.
