The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Air Force

  • Air Force parades fake personnel in Calabar

    The 207 Special Mobility Group of the Nigerian Air Force Calabar, has paraded one Mr. Abdusalam Isiaka, for posing as an Air Force personnel.

    Parading the 25 year-old suspect, suspect before newsmen in Calabar, Commander of the 207 Special Mobility Group, Air Commodore Olusegun Philip, said that the suspect was arrested in Oron, Akwa Ibom state.

    Philip added that the suspect was brought to Calabar because the Air Force Base in Akwa Ibom was under the 207 Special Mobility Group in Calabar.

    According to him, the suspect was arrested by the joint task force of the military `Operation Thunder’ during patrol.

    “The case at hand is that of one Mr. Isiaka who was arrested by a joint task force of the military, `operation thunder’ in Akwa Ibom state.

    “On interrogating the suspect, we found fake identity card with him. We also discover that he was carrying dangerous weapon like knife, daggers, handcuff, teargas and others.

    “We further found out that he was not a member of the armed forces. I had to direct my officers in Akwa Ibom to bring him down to Calabar for further investigation’’, he said.

    According to the Commander, the suspect would be handed over to the Police for further investigation and prosecution.

    “I wish to appeal to the general public to help us and the federal government in curbing illegalities in the country.

    “I wish to also sound a notice of warning that anyone caught with uniform impersonating the armed forces will be dealt with severely’’, he warned.

    Isiaka, a native of Kano state, said that he was a civilian driver of the Nigerian Airforce Logistic Command in Lagos before his dismissal.

    According to him, he was officially dismissed as a driver by the Logistic Command for improper conduct.

    “When I was officially dismissed by the Air Force in Lagos, I met my friend who is a soldier to help me out.

    “That my friend gave me this uniform and asked me to help out myself with it. He used to take me along with him for outside jobs in other to help me fetch some money.

    “I use the uniform to provide security for marriage celebration, birthdays, night clubs, and other social celebrations and I get paid for it.

    “I indulged in this illegal act because I couldn’t secure another job after my dismissal. It is very unfortunate that I have found myself in Air Force net,’’ Isiaka said.

     

  • Air Force promotes 153 senior officers

    Air Force promotes 153 senior officers

    THE Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has promoted 153 senior officers with the aim of boosting the professional commitment and productivity of those in its top echelons.

    Its Director of Public Relations & Information Air Commodore Dele Alonge, who said this yesterday, added that the newly promoted officers include 14 Air Vice Marshals, 26 Air Commodores, 22 Group Captains and 91 Wing Commanders.

    Those promoted to the rank of Air Vice Marshal (AVM) are the Chief of Aircraft Engineering at the Headquarters of Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Onyemaechi Osahor; Director of Works at the Headquarters Nigerian Air Force Air Vice Marshal Shehu Adamu; and Director Air Intelligence at the Headquarters Nigerian Air Force  Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Usman.

    Others are Principal Air Staff Officer to the Chief of Air Staff Air Vice Marshal Muhammad Abdul-Wahab; Commander, 75 Strike Group Yola Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao; Commander, 303 Flying Training School Kano Air Vice Marshal John Baba; Commander 81 Air Maritime Group Benin Air Vice Marshal Okechukwu Ntukogu and  a Directing Staff at the National Defence College, Air Vice Marshal Humphrey Okpala.

    Other new AVMs are the Commander, 203 Medium Airlift Group Ilorin Air Vice Marshal Yekeen Ishola; Director of Information Communication Technology at the National Defence College Air Vice Marshal Christian Dii; the Managing Director, Nigerian Air Force Housing and Construction Company, Air Vice Marshal Sambo Usman; Commander 335 Base Services Group Kaduna, Air Vice Marshal Auwal Muhammad; Director Search and Rescue, National Emergency Management Agency Air Vice Marshal Charles Otegbade and Commander 333 Logistics Group Kaduna, Air Vice Marshal Isyaka Bukar.

    The NAF spokesman said the 26 senior officers elevated to the rank of Air Commodore include Group Captains Emmanuel Udenyi, Aliyu Bello, Iboro Etukudo, Chiebonam Ozougwu, Abidemi Marquis, Abubakar Liman, Pius Oahimire, Kabiru Aliyu, Ubrufih Uzezi, Nkem Aguiyi, Sule Lawal and Paul Masiyer among others.

     

     

    Others are Group Captains Isah Muhammad, Kurotimi Obidake, Dalhat Ladan, Adeniyi Amesinlola, Olagoke Ogunmola, Raheem Tijani, Obainana Imafidor, Framah Batnah, John Dibal, Mohammed Sini, Barisi Keenam, Sunday Ogba, Habib Adamu and Emma Enam.

    ”The recent promotions are in line with one of the key drivers of the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar’s vision, which is to promote and inculcate the core values of integrity, excellence and service delivery.

    “As an annual exercise, the purpose of promotion is to encourage officers to rededicate themselves to assigned duties as well as the development of the Nigerian Air Force and the nation as a whole,” Alonge stated.

     

  • We won’t bomb civilians’ locations in Sambisa – Air Force

    We won’t bomb civilians’ locations in Sambisa – Air Force

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) pledged yesterday that its ongoing strike mission in Sambisa forest would not affect civilian targets.

    Air Commodore Isiaka Amao, Air Component Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri that the Air Force conducted series of intelligence gathering on the area before embarking on the mission.

    He said that while the Air Force is on a mission to wipe out Boko Haram terrorists from their Sambisa forest hideout, “we are also aware that the terrorists usually keep abducted women and children among them; so we carry out series of intelligence-gathering before striking at any target in the hideout.”

    “We do not carry out strikes in women and children locations because we know that they are innocent persons kept by force by the terrorists.

    “Our job is to degrade the terrorists and rescue vulnerable persons forcefully abducted in their hideout,” he said.

     

     

    Amao said that the Air Force had continued to intensify its effort in support of the ground troops and had conducted no fewer than 40 intervention missions, with over 80 per cent success in the forest.

  • Air Force jets bomb Boko Haram’s vehicles, others in Sambisa forest

    Air Force jets bomb Boko Haram’s vehicles, others in Sambisa forest

    BOKO Haram’s vehicle workshops, fuel and ammunition dumps in Sambisa forest have been bombed by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) jets.

    A statement by NAF’s Director of Public Relations & Information, Air Commodore Dele Alonge, which made this known yesterday, gave an assurance that the latest air strikes have increased the possibility of ending insurgency in the Northeast.

    NAF attributed the success of its air strikes to expert use of drones and the ATR-42 aerial surveillance aircraft.

    “In a renewed drive to further degrade the Boko Haram Terrorist (BHT) assets, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha jets have successfully carried out air strikes and destroyed the sect’s vehicle workshops, fuel and ammunition dumps all within the Sambisa forest.

    “This feat by NAF came as a result of a painstaking Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) efforts by the NAF’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and ATR-42 platforms.

    “The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, wishes to assure all Nigerians that with these successful strikes on the insurgents, their capabilities have been further degraded to pave the way for the final onslaught by the land forces to meet the Commander-in-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari’s directives to bring insurgency in the Northeast to an end,” he stated.

    Gowon: deadline for defeat of insurgency not sacrosanct

    Former  Head of State  Gen. Yakubu Gowon said yesterday that the December deadline for the military to end Boko Haram insurgency is not sacrosanct.

    He spoke in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, during a visit to Governor Dave Umahi as head of an advocacy group on Malaria and other tropical diseases.

    He said:  “I can tell you this; nobody can really talk about when any particular operation is going to end. And as a (former) commander-in- chief, I know this.

    “Yes, you can say you target a particular time, but it may finish before that time or it may go slightly beyond. To end it, that is the most important thing.

    “I assure you that I have absolute confidence in our military that they are going to really deal with the situation as they are doing at the moment.

    “May the spirits of these poor little children who are being brainwashed to carry out such heinous crimes rest in peace.” he said.

    He admonished Nigerians to pray so that God would touch the hearts of the Boko Haram insurgents.

     

  • How Air Force plane crashed, by witness

    A witness yesterday spoke on how the Nigerian Air Force fighter jet on a bombing mission against Boko Haram crashed in a windstorm in Adamawa state town Hong.

    The pilot of the plane was killed according to the Air Force.

    The jet “returning to base from an interdicted mission crashed due to bad weather and not under enemy fire,” Air Force spokesman Commodore Dele Alonge said in a statement on Saturday.

    The Air Force yesterday said the Chief of Air Staff it had set up an investigation panel.

    The Chinese-built Chengdu F7 went down in a rural area of Adamawa State, Commodore Alonge said. The crash happened in an area where Boko Haram Islamic extremists last year shot down a military jet and beheaded its pilot.

    Farmer Moses David said he watched the pilot parachute from the plunging jet, only to ram into a tree, which killed him, according to French News Agency, AFP.

    He said there was a violent windstorm when the jet hit the ground with such force that its nose is buried.

    In August, a Nigerian Air Force plane crashed into a home in northern Kaduna city, killing all four crew and three passengers. In November 2014, a military helicopter exploded in the northeast, killing all three crew members. In December 2013, Boko Haram destroyed two helicopter gunships and three fighter jets in northeastern Maiduguri city.

  • NAF plane crashes in Yola, no survivour

    A Nigerian Air Force plane has reportedly crashed in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.

    Director Defence Information, Col. Abubakar Rabe, according to Channels Television confirmed the crash.

    Air Force spokesman, Dele Alonge, in a statement on Saturday night said the aircraft crashed at about 4:23pm due to bad weather.

    According to Alonge, the F7-Ni fighter jet, with registration number, NAF801, was ‘returning to base from a mission when it crashed  around Hong, in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State’.

    “There was no survivour  as the pilot of the aircraft lost his life in the unfortunate incident,” Mr. Alonge said.

  • Air Force pounds more Boko Haram targets in Sambisa forest

    Air Force pounds more Boko Haram targets in Sambisa forest

    The Air Force Alpha Jets yesterday hit strategic Boko Haram targets in the heart of the notorious Sambisa forest.

    A statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Air Force, Air Commodore Dele Alonge said mostly hit were Ngoshe and Pulka during combined raids with ground forces on the insurgents’ hideouts.

    “The targets, which included solar panels believed to be used by the sect for generating electricity within the Sambisa forest, were hit during the recent take-over of Gamboru-Ngala by own troops”, Alonge said.

    The statement added that the Air Force would continue to sustain the air assault against the insurgents, with a view to decimating the capability and  the fighting spirit of the sect members.

  • Photos: Victims of Air Force flight crash

    Photos: Victims of Air Force flight crash

  • Air Force names crash victims

    Air Force names crash victims

    •Govt condole with families

    The victims of the Nigerian Air Force plane which crashed on Saturday into a residential quarter at Ribadu Cantonment in Kaduna,have been named.

    They are: Squadron Leader Adekunle Suara (pilot), wife of Wing Commander N. Hassan, wife of Wing Commander I. B. Musa, Warrant Officer Etim and Air Craft Woman Naomi Adekunle.

    The ill-fated aircraft was Abuja-bound.

    Squadron Leader Suara is survived by a young wife, who got married to him last year.

    According to a statement by the Director of Defence Information, Col. Rabe Abubakar, President  Muhammadu Buhari  described the crash as colossal loss not only to the families but to the nation

    “The President spoke through the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence, Alhaji Aliyu Ismaila, who was also the head of Federal Government delegation that visited the site of the crash and the families of the victims.

    “The President extends his condolences on behalf of the Federal Government and the good people of Nigeria over the unfortunate loss of the officers and men whom he described as gentlemen and intelligent personnel whose loss could not be quantified especially now that their services are much-needed.

    “The President prayed for the repose of their souls and also prayed Almighty God to grant the families the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.

    ” Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, who was also in the Presidential entourage, condoled with the families on behalf of the Armed Forces and described the late officers as fine, loyal and patriotic gentlemen who died gallantly while serving their fatherland.

    He said: “Though you are gone, your memories will be with us for a very long time to come”.

    A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Dornier-228 aircraft, with call sign NAF030, crashed into a house at Ribadu Cantonment, Kaduna shortly after take-off.

    The highlight of the condolence visit was the observance of a one-minute silence in honour of the departed colleagues and visits to the individual families of the victims.

    Some of those on the entourage were the GOC 1 Division, Maj Gen Adeniyi Oyebade, Air Officer Commanding, Training Command, Kaduna, AVM Alkali Mamu, Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy, Maj Gen MT Ibrahim, Chief of Defence Communications, Defence Headquarters and other senior officers on the entourage of the Federal Government delegation.

    The owner of the house on which the chopper crashed, Lt. Col. Grema, narrated how he escaped death.

    He told the delegation that: “I came out of my house few minutes before the aircraft fell on my bore hole.  I had not quite shut the door to my house when I heard the noise arising from the crash.”

    As at the time of the visit, condolence registers had been opened in the victim’s houses, while some family members were still in shock. The young wife of the deceased pilot, thanked the delegation.

    Wing Commander Musa and Hassan said the visit by the top brass team had given them encouragement and courage to raise the children their wives left. They pledged  their unrelenting effort to move the NAF and the Nigeria military forward.

    Speaking with reporters after inspecting the scene of the crash, the Permanent Secretary said: “We have lost very able officers and their families and we want to on behalf of the Federal Government extend our condolences to all of them and pray for the repose of their souls.

    “With the passion and zeal the president came in with, you will appreciate that he is doing everything possible to address some of these challenges of security in the country. The Nigerian Army, Air force and Navy are all one and he is doing all his best to reposition them to meet global standards.”

    He appealed to Nigerians to give Buhari the needed support to move the country forward, saying: “This incident is something that is from God and we should accept it as such, all we can do is pray that when our time come, we die in peace.”

    Wife of Wing Commander Hassan left behind four young kids, the eldest is not up to 10. As at the time of the visit, the children were busy playing around the compound.

  • Seven die in Air Force jet crash at Kaduna cantonment

    Seven die in Air Force jet crash at Kaduna cantonment

    •Air Chief launches probe into mishap

    The military has launched a proble into yesterday Air Force Jet crash in Kaduna in which seven passangers aboard died. Dornier-228 aircraft belonging to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF)  crashed into a house at the Ribadu Cantonment in Kaduna shortly after takeoff.

    The aircraft had taken off from the Kaduna Military Airfield around 06:45 only to come down soon afterward.

    The dead included the crew of four and three passengers, according to military sources.

    The Air Force itself was not immediately forth coming on the casualty figure and the manifest.

    But the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, aborted an official trip to Port Harcourt to visit the scene and the families of the deceased.

    He also raised a panel, headed by an Air Vice Marshal to probe the incident.

    The  Director, Air Force  Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Dele Alonge, confirmed the development in a statement, saying: “A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Dornier-228 aircraft, with call sign NAF030, has crashed into a house at Ribadu Cantonment, Kaduna.

    “Though no casualty was recorded on ground, there were no survivors among the passengers onboard the aircraft.

    “The aircraft was Abuja bound and had taken-off at about 6:45am from the Kaduna Military Airfield before the mishap. Bodies of the passengers have been recovered and fire fighters are already at the crash site to curtail fire from spreading to other buildings within the vicinity.

    “Meanwhile, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar has aborted his official trip to Port Harcourt to visit the site of the air crash and families of some of the deceased personnel in company of the Air Officer Commanding Training Command, Air Vice Marshal Alikali Mamu.

    “The CAS has also set up an investigation panel headed by an Air Vice Marshal to unravel the cause of the accident with immediate effect.”

    A military source however said: “Seven people, including crew members, on board of the aircraft died in the crash.

    “Being a military crash, the details will not be released until a technical appraisal is done. The families of those who died had been contacted.”

    An eye witness who lives in the cantonment said: “Just before the flight crashed into my neighbours’ houses, I noticed that the aircraft was making an unusual sound. So, I came out to see what exactly it was.

    “Then, I saw the plane coming down, only for it to pick up again. But when it came down a second time, it could not go up again. The next thing I heard was a deafening explosion.

    “Before I could say jack, it was in flame and the fire gutted my neighbours’ houses. But thank God for the timely intervention of the fire service.

    “We thank God that our neighbours are safe. They said all the passengers on board died. It’s very unfortunate.”

    Officials of the Kaduna State Fire Service and the  National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) raced to the scene to put out the fire.

    They were assisted by sympathisers who thronged the scene.

    Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai of Kaduna State commiserated with the families of the victims.

    The Governor, in a statement by his spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan said the governor received the news with shock and sadness.

    He also condoled with the Chief of the Air Staff, and the officers and men of the Air Force over the crash and prayed for the repose of the souls of the dead.

    The accident occurred about two weeks after a Bristow Helicopter flying from an oil rig in Escravos, Delta State, with two crew members and ten passengers, crashed into the Lagos lagoon.