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Tag: Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya

  • UPDATED: Gunmen attack helipad in Bayelsa, kill airman

    Unknown gunmen have attacked a helipad belonging to the Nigerian Air Force in Igbogene, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

    It was gathered that an airman on duty at the security post was killed in the attack which occurred at the early hours of Sunday.

    The gunmen, who reportedly scaled the fence of the helipad, made away with the victim’s rifle.

    The helicopter landing site at Igbogene is surrounded by overgrown vegetation and trees, a situation sources said made the place to be an easy target for the attack.

    The Igbogene helipad is a preferred landing site for high-profile visitors to Bayelsa including security chiefs.

    A security source, who described the attack as terrible and daring, said the hoodlums after scaling the fence shot the airman at the security post.

    The source, who spoke in confidence, said the second guard was not inside the helipad when the gunmen struck.

    He said: “The helipad is surrounded by bush. So it was easy for the gunmen to attack it. When they came, they shot the airman at the security post and took his rifle. When the second airman heard the gunshot, he rushed to the site and saw his colleague lying dead.”

    He urged security operatives to always be at alert following preparations for the 2019 general elections.

    “Activities for the 2019 elections have started and hoodlums are looking for weapons. This is one of the ways they go about it. Security operatives should increase their level of alertness,” he added.

    The Nigerian Airforce Headquarters confirmed the attack but said its personnel on duty repelled it in a shootout.

    A statement issued by the Director of NAF Public Relations, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, said the incident happened in the early hours of Sunday as a group of unknown gunmen attacked the guard post at Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Helipad.

    The statement said: “Although the NAF personnel on duty were able to repel the attack, an airman paid the supreme sacrifice in the process.

    “The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has ordered an immediate investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.”

  • Air Force tackles herdsmen/farmers clashes in Taraba, Benue, others

    Air Force tackles herdsmen/farmers clashes in Taraba, Benue, others

    The Nigerian Air Force Thursday said it would be involved in the operations in Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa to tackle incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

    The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar made the disclosure in Abuja at a lecture to participants of Course 26 of the National Defence College, (NDC).

    He explained that the intervention of the NAF would be through the establishment of Forward Operational Base (FOB) in Taraba state and Quick Rsponse Wing along Benue and Nasarawa axis.

    In a statement signed by the Director of Public Relations and Information of the NAF, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, the Air Chief said the developments were part of elaborate efforts to address the security challenges facing the country.

    The statement reads: “The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, Thursday disclosed plans by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to establish a Forward Operational Base (FOB) in Taraba State, as part of plans to further tackle the incessant herdsmen-farmers clash in the country.

    “The CAS, who disclosed the plans while delivering a lecture to participants of National Defence College (NDC) Course 26 in Abuja, also announced plans to establish a Quick Response Wing along the Benue-Nassarawa Axis.

    “The title of the lecture, which lasted one hour, was ‘The Nigerian Air Force – Challenges and Future Perspectives’. Participants of the Course are drawn from senior officers of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and those of sister African countries, senior officials of other security agencies in Nigeria as well as those of Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

    “The lecture afforded the CAS to share thoughts with the participants on how the National Defence Policy prescribes that the NAF should be employed, out of which the mission statement of the NAF was coined.

    “Air Marshal Abubakar also spoke on the current and likely threats as well as contingencies from the perspective of air operations. He then elucidated on his vision for the NAF while also highlighting current efforts at actualizing it.

    “Some of the initiatives included but are not limited to the establishment of new commands and some units, improvement in human capacity development, improved aircraft serviceability and logistics support as well as enhanced personnel welfare.

    “He also spoke about the efforts being made in the area of research and development towards improved self-sufficiency, as a result of which the NAF is currently making great savings in foreign exchange.

    “Thereafter, he discussed the current NAF Force structure, doctrine, current capabilities and equipment holding in response to threats alongside the NAF’s strategic plan before looking at NAF future perspectives.

    “The CAS equally examined the challenges and constraints to the NAF’s air power effectiveness before concluding the lecture by discussing the strategies to countering the challenges enumerated. The lecture was followed by a stimulating interactive session.

    “In his closing remarks, the Commandant of NDC, Rear Admiral Adeniyi Osinowo, declared that “You cannot win any war today without an effective and virile Air Force”.

    “He then added that there was no doubt that the current NAF leadership is taking a lot of laudable and unprecedented steps, especially in the area of technological development, in a bid to reposition the NAF for greatness.

    “He particularly cited the recent feats by the NAF in locally designing and producing an operational Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, among many other breakthroughs in the area of research and development. He then seized the opportunity to congratulate the CAS on the recent passage of the bill establishing the Air Force Institute of Technology Kaduna, which he believed would further enhance technological growth in the NAF.

    “It is recalled that the NAF had also earlier announced plans to establish FOBs in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, as part of its commitment to combatting emerging security challenges in those parts of the country”.

  • NAF bombs Boko Haram hideouts in Sambisa, kills more insurgents

    NAF bombs Boko Haram hideouts in Sambisa, kills more insurgents

    The Nigerian Air Force ( NAF ) said on Friday it has carried out more air strikes against the Boko Haram terrorists in the Sambisa general area in Borno State, killing scores of insurgents and destroying their hideouts in the process.

    The bombardment of the insurgents were conducted with four fighter jets and two helicopters after series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissannce (ISR) missions have been carried out on the target areas.

    The Director of Public Relations and Information of the NAF, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, said the Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole carried out the strikes in an operation code-named operation Ruwan Wuta III.

    He explained in a statement supported with a declassified video footage that “on  December 12, 20 17, the Air Task Force of OP LAFIYA DOLE commenced an intensive bombardment of the hideouts of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) in Northern Borno and the Sambisa general area in an operation codenamed Operation Ruwan Wuta lll.

    “On the first day of the operation, an air interdiction mission was conducted on a BHT hideout in Kolaram, which is 37km East of Monguno.”

    According to AVM Adesanya, “Previous Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions by NAF platforms had revealed Kolaram to be an active BHT location from where the terrorists had launched attacks on our surface forces in Northern Borno.

    Read Also: NAF Jet bombs Boko Haram structures, kills scores

    “Accordingly, two NAF helicopters were detailed for a pre-dawn attack on the settlement, followed by another wave of attacks from four fighter aircraft.

    “Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) showed that several structures were destroyed, causing fire within the settlement while some insurgents were killed in the process.

    “On the same day, one NAF helicopter and some fighter aircraft attacked an adjoining settlement Southeast of Kolaram, targeting structures that had been observed to host significant BHT activities. The targeted BHT structures were destroyed and engulfed in fire, killing the terrorists hiding in them.

    “During the attacks on Kolaram and Southeast of Kolaram, some escaping insurgents were tracked as they fled northwards to Jubilaram, which is 38km Northeast of Monguno.

    ” Accordingly, another wave of air interdiction was launched on the location, which was also found to be active with BHT activities. Four NAF fighter aircraft took turns to attack structures occupied by BHT elements in the settlement.

    “Subsequent BDA revealed that the attacks resulted in a large part of the settlement being engulfed in fire, thereby destroying the BHTs structures and neutralizing the fleeing BHTs.”

     

  • NAF jets hit Boko Haram hideouts, kill several insurgents

    NAF jets hit Boko Haram hideouts, kill several insurgents

    The Nigerian Air Force ( NAF ) said on Tuesday it has carried out bombings of Boko Haram targets in the North East, killing scores of insurgents through air strikes.

    The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, said in a statement in Abuja that the force personnel carried out several interdictions and destroyed Boko Haram structures in Bogumeri and Gwoza in the North East part of the country.

    The statement which was supported with the video footage of the air strikes reads: “In furtherance of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), on 24 November 2017, successfully neutralized a large gathering of Boko Haram Terrorists in Bogumeri, Borno State.

    “A NAF platform, while on routine Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), had previously discovered the large gathering of the BHTs in the area, which was known to have significant BHT presence.

    “Consequently, NAF fighter aircraft were detailed to carry out air interdiction on the target, in quick succession. The Alpha Jet fighter aircraft attacked the target with bombs, killing the insurgents and setting some structures ablaze.

    “Meanwhile, in a separate attack on 28 November 2017, the NAF successfully neutralized another large gathering of BHTs in Gobara, 15km north west of Gwosa. A NAF ISR platform had previously discovered the armed BHTs, who were gathered by a building that was apparently being used as a hideout.

    “The subsequent air strike resulted in the immediate destruction of the target building, killing all the BHTs inside it.”