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Tag: Nigerian Air Force

  • Air Force treats 200 IDP’s in Benue

    Air Force treats 200 IDP’s in Benue

    The Nigerian Air Force has administered free treatment to no fewer than 200 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) affected by the flood in Benue.

    Squadron Leader Jeremiah Amase, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Makurdi that some of the patients were suffering from hypertension, Malaria, diarrhea, upper and lower respiratory infections among others.

    The Chief of Air staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, had earlier inaugurated the “Medical Outreach Programme” to assist IDPs as part of the Nigerian Airforce’s ( NAF ) social responsibility to the people of the state.

    Amase explained that the over 200 patients attended to responded to treatment.

    He said that the clinic had not received any case beyond the medical team’s capability and commended the efforts of medical doctors from the Benue State University Makurdi for their collaboration.

    He, however, disclosed that the major challenge facing the camp was lack of water and poor sanitation system which he said was being addressed.

    NAN reports that the NAF is collaborating with the State Government, UNICEF and other international and local organisations to assist the flood victims.

  • Flood: Air Force treats 200 IDP’s in Benue

    Flood: Air Force treats 200 IDP’s in Benue

    The Nigerian Air Force has administered free treatment to no fewer than 200 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) affected by the flood in Benue.

    Squadron Leader Jeremiah Amase, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Makurdi that some of the patients were suffering from hypertension, Malaria, diarrhea, upper and lower respiratory infections among others.

    The Chief of Air staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, had earlier inaugurated the “Medical Outreach Programme” to assist IDPs as part of the Nigerian Airforce’s (NAF) social responsibility to the people of the state.

    Amase explained that the over 200 patients attended to responded to treatment.

    He said that the clinic had not received any case beyond the medical team’s capability and commended the efforts of medical doctors from the Benue State University Makurdi for their collaboration.

    He, however, disclosed that the major challenge facing the camp was lack of water and poor sanitation system which he said was being addressed.

    NAN reports that the NAF is collaborating with the State Government, UNICEF and other international and local organisations to assist the flood victims.

    The Minister of State for Environment, Mr Ibrahim Jibril, has called on international donor agencies and other philanthropists to support Benue government in tackling the menace of flood in the state.

    Jibril stated this on Monday in Makurdi while on assessment tour of the flooded areas and some camps for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.

    The minister, who expressed concerns over the level of devastation, said it was beyond the capacity of the state.
    He appealed to the International community to assist the state government tackle the disaster.

    He attributed the cause of the flood to indiscriminate building on waterways and the blockage of drains which interrupted water flow.

    “This situation is devastating; we will seek help from the international agencies for the flood victims in Benue.

    “Many people built on water ways and blocked water channels in Makurdi, I have gone round the town and discovered that there are buildings in areas that ordinarily should not harbor them.

    “It is not easy for the state government to demolish such buildings but we hope that the people will collaborate with the relevant government agencies to address the issue,” he said.

    He reiterated the Federal Government’s resolve to assist the state to overcome the disaster.

    Also fielding questions from reporters, the Deputy Governor, Benson Abounu, said the state government was overwhelmed by the flood.

    He said that 21 local government councils were facing “serious ecological challenges”.

  • NAF is restructuring to deliver on its responsibilities – CAS

    NAF is restructuring to deliver on its responsibilities – CAS

    The Nigerian Air Force is restructuring to effectively deliver on its responsibilities to the nation, the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Abubakar Sadique, has said.

    Sadique made the remark on Friday while celebrating Eid El-Kabir with officers and men of the Air Component of Operation “Lafiya Dole” in Yola Air force base.

    He said that with the restructuring, the NAF would be better placed and equipped to deliver on its responsibilities.

    “We are restructuring and that’s why we have two more commands; Special Operations Command and Ground Training Command.

    “Very soon in all our units no technician will go for guard duty.

    “We are building capacity in terms of having the required number of Special Forces so that those trained as special force will take over the defence of the base so that technicians concentrate on maintenance of aircraft.

    “Right now we are training 450 special forces in Kaduna in phases,” he said.

    The CAS said that with the ongoing training and retraining of Air force personnel to meet current challenges, the era when flying officers and lieutenants learn how to fly would soon be over.

    He said: “we will continue to build the capacity of our instructors and also ensure that we have sufficient air plane to conduct the primary flying training.

    “This will enable every student pilot that is admitted into the School complete his or her training as a cadet like we used to have in the 80’s.

    “We are also building capacity in terms of tactical training for fighter pilots.

    “I have just been informed that the 2nd batch of pilots going to fly with the Egyptian Air Force will be leaving very soon.”

    Sadique, who expressed satisfaction with the performance of his men in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents, urged them to redouble their efforts.

    He said that while the terrain constituted challenges to other sister agencies, it should not be so in the deployment of air power.

    The Commanding Officer, Tactical Air Command, AVM M.A. Idris, Head of Training, AVM A. Balogun and Air Commodore Abdullahi Kassim, Commander, NAF Yola Base, lauded the CAS for his commitment to professionalism and the welfare of officers and men.

  • Boko Haram top commanders killed by Army

    Boko Haram top commanders killed by Army

    The Nigerian Army said on Thursday it had neutralised several Boko Haram commanders and many of their foot soldiers in the ongoing operation against the insurgents in the North East.

    READ ALSO: Boko Haram destroyed 75% water, sanitation infrastructure in Northeast – UNICEF

    Army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, said in a statement that the operation was conducted jointly with the Nigerian Air Force.

    Usman said the operation, undertaken based on credible intelligence information, targeted Boko Haram hideouts, adding that “more details of successes achieved will be made available as the operation continues.”

    READ ALSO: Boko Haram Escapee recounts orderal in Sambisa forest

    The spokesman named five top Boko Haram commanders neutralised in the operation to include Abu Dujana, Man Tahiru, a Deputy to Boko Haram terrorists group Hisba leader, Man Chari, Malam Abdullahi Abu Sa’ad and Goni Bamanga.

    “The Nigerian military would continue with the concerted onslaught on the reported Boko Haram terrorists’ locations till they have been eliminated,” he added. (NAN)

  • Bad weather affecting raids on Boko Haram hideouts — NAF

    Bad weather affecting raids on Boko Haram hideouts — NAF

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said on Thursday that bad weather is adversely affecting its operations against Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East.

    The Air Component Commander of “Operation Lafiya Dole,” Air Commodore Tajudeen Oladele, stated this in Yola while briefing journalists on the activities of the command from April to June.

    He said: “The major challenge affecting air operations at this period is adverse weather.

    “Thunderstorm and rainfall impacted negatively on our operations.

    “This is however to be expected during the period under review.

    “There were days that flights have to be delayed or cancelled because of weather.”

    Despite the challenge, he said significant operations were conducted during the period under review.

    The commander said a total of 821 sorties were conducted within 1,256 hours and nine minutes of flight which consumed over two million litres of Jet A 1 and MOGAS worth N334 million.

    He said there were times attacks had to be suspended in order not to endanger the lives of innocent civilians.

    He reiterated the component’s readiness to sustain its onslaught against Boko Haram and support the operations of ground troops.

    The commander promised that the component would also sustain its humanitarian support in the areas of food supply and healthcare services to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the region.

    “Our sincere gratitude goes to the Chief of Air Staff for his support. On our part we are always willing and ready to carry out any additional task,” Oladele said.

    NAN

  • Many injured as police, air force personnel clash

    Many injured as police, air force personnel clash

    The peaceful atmosphere in Jeddo, Okpe council area of Delta, on the outskirts of Warri metropolis, was shattered Monday evening as operatives of two sister security agencies; police and the Nigerian Air Force, engaged each other in a fierce shootout.

    Although there was no death record from the engagement, the Nation gathered that several persons, including personnel of both agencies and some residents of the area, sustained various degrees of injuries even as properties including vehicles and makeshift homes, were destroyed.

    The Nation gathered that trouble started when a personnel of the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) of the police got engaged in a hot argument with a lady, which resulted in a physical assault as the police personnel reportedly slapped the lady, who happens to be an air force personnel’s daughter.

    The lady went back home to relate her experience to her father, who reportedly mobilised his men to storm the spot where his daughter had been assaulted. The police official also called his colleagues in when he sensed that the situation was about to go out of hands.

    Security sources disclosed that the Airforce, on arriving the scene, opened fire which was replied by the Police special squad with people scampering for safety.

    Alhough no life was lost in the incident, several people, including the personnel of the two agencies, sustained injuries while several vehicles were vandalised and make shift properties of traders destroyed. The incident has scared most residents out of their homes, fearing there might be further faceoff between personnel of both bodies.

    Although efforts to get an official reaction from the police was not immediately successful as the police spokesman at the Delta state police command, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, said he was driving when reached, a senior police source confirmed the incident, but was unable to talk much.

    It was also gathered that the Area Commander of the Police in charge of Warri, Mohammed Shaba, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) met with the new Commanding Officer of NAF for several hours to find a lasting solution to the clash.

    “I am in a meeting over the clash. I cant talk on it. It is the Commander of the Nigerian Airforce that call talk on it”, he said on phone.

    Delta State Commissioner of Police, Zanna Ibrahim, said he was not aware of the incident but promised to investigate.

  • Air Force: RAF detachment deployed to train Nigerian Regiment.

    Air Force: RAF detachment deployed to train Nigerian Regiment.

    The UK has deployed officers from the Royal Air Force (RAF) Force Protection (FP) Wing from RAF Lossiemouth to Nigeria to train the Nigerian Air Force Regiment for six weeks.

    The Royal Air Force is the UK’s aerial warfare force formed toward the end of the First World War on April 1, 1918 and it is the oldest independent air force in the world.

    A statement by the UK High Commission, Press Officer in Nigeria, Joe Abuku, said this on Thursday in Abuja.

    Abuku said that the detachment was made up of a 66 person Short Term Training Team (STTT) from No. 5 FP Wing of RAF.

    “The focus of the STTT is to deliver a training package which enables students to operate effectively in the Complex Air Ground Environment (CAGE) by understanding their role to provide security and Force Protection operations both inside and outside an Air base.

    “This forms a key part of a layered defence system; deterring and defeating an enemy away from the airfield whilst also assuring internal security of a base.

    “Additionally, Commissioned and Non-Commissioned Officers will be given the opportunity to enhance their tactical leadership and planning skills, whilst the Junior Air-officers will build on the skills they learned during basic training,” he said.

    He explained that the detachment, the third undertaken by 5 FP Wing in a five year programme came after a request from Nigeria.

    He said that the Nigerian Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, had requested UK to assist in capacity building for the Nigerian Air Force Regiment.

    He quoted Abubakar as saying, “given the importance of bases in the airpower delivery matrix, it is not inconceivable to expect our adversaries to target our airbases.

    “As a matter of fact, we have had an attack on one of our airbases in the recent past, and current intelligence reports keep highlighting the possibility of attacks on our bases.

    “All these reinforce the need to emplace a robust base defence concept that is capable of providing guidance for responding to a wide range of situations that may threaten our bases.”

    He quoted Officer Commanding 5 FP Wing, Wing Commander John Rees as expressing delight that the detachment was in Nigeria and appreciated the warmth welcome given to them.

    “We are proud of our Royal Air Force heritage and the opportunity to represent our service in the Defence Engagement arena,” Rees said.

    The Wing Commander said that the detachment had already delivered Train the Trainer package to 50 Non Commissioned Officers and Commissioned Officers.

    He added that a further 250 students would now begin the Foundation Phase bringing a total of around 300 Nigerian personnel to be trained across a mixture of ranks.

    The programme, according to him, will culminate with a demanding final exercise at a live airfield to validate the understanding of all skills taught in a realistic environment.

    He said that this would be prior to the graduating students deploying to their first operational assignment in the Nigerian Air Force.

    He said that the team would wrap up by mid-July.

  • We’re ever ready to defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity – Air Chief

    We’re ever ready to defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity – Air Chief

    The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar has said that, the Nigerian Air Force is ever ready to defend the territorial integrity of the country.

    The Chief of Air Staff’s statement is coming barely a week after his army counterpart; Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai disclosed that some unscrupulous politicians have been approaching his officers and men for political assistance.

    Air Mashall Sadique Abubakar spoke while addressing the rank and file of the force in Kaduna on Wednesday during the second quarter meeting with branch chiefs, AOCs, Commanders and Commandants of NAF.

    The CAS told the senior officers that, the Air Force must continue to carry out its constitutional duties professionally and ensure that territorial integrity of Nigeria is not undermined by any group or groups.

    According to him, “We are more than ever committed to defend the territorial integrity of this country.

    “We are also more than ever committed to monitor oil criminals and other activities challenging smooth running of the country. We are going to equip the various units so they can perform their roles effectively”.

    Abubakar said the reason for the meeting was to appraised the activities both operational and logistics and other activities of the air force so as to articulates what its intend to achieved in the second quarter.

    The CAS who also commissioned the newly rehabilitated 401 flights control tower, said the new structure and the modern equipment therein will assist greatly the operation of the flying training school.

    “The control tower is a very important infrastructure in over role flying activities of the military in Kaduna area.

    “What we have here now is a better equipment, stress-free compared to what was there before and we believe that with what we have here is going to add value to what we are doing in terms of training and air traffic control”, he said.

     

  • NAF Jets destroy Boko Haram logistics base in Sambisa

    NAF Jets destroy Boko Haram logistics base in Sambisa

    The Nigerian Air Force Component of Operation Lafiya Dole said it has destroyed operational base of the Boko Haram insurgent group in the Sambisa forest.

    According to the Director of Public Relation and Information of the Nigerian Air Force,  Air Commodore, Olatokunbo Adesanya, an “Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission in the Sambisa general area was carried out as part of on-going efforts to clear the area of remnants of Boko Haram terrorists group.”

    The NAF Spokesman said  “On 16 May 2017, the Nigerian Air Force Component of Operation LAFIYA DOLE conducted an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission in the Sambisa general area, as part of ongoing efforts to clear the area of remnants of the Boko Haram Terrorists group.

    “During the ISR mission, a black vehicle and some Boko Haram Terrorists were seen on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest. A confirmatory ISR mission on 17 May 2017 revealed that the Boko Haram Terrorists are attempting to build a logistics base in the location.

    “Accordingly, Nigerian Air Force fighter aircraft were immediately called in to carry out strikes on the location. Subsequent battle damage assessment revealed that some of the structures and vehicles in the location were engulfed in an inferno and destroyed.

    “In addition, several Boko Haram Terrorists within the structures under the tree were possibly killed by the strikes. It will be recalled that the Nigerian Air Force, in a recent attack, frustrated attempts by the Boko Haram Terrorists to regroup in the Sambisa general area”.

  • Isio Kids Project empowers pupils in Port Harcourt

    Isio Kids Project empowers pupils in Port Harcourt

     Isio Kids Project, a non-governmental organisation in conjunction with Mavrodi Mundial Movement (MMM)recently in Port Harcourt, Rivers State empowered some kids with scholarships and educational materials.

    The event held at the ECCI Centre at the Nigerian Air Force base had in attendance the beneficiaries and their families as well as team members of Isio Kids.

    Speaking at the programme, Ms B. Oluchi, an official of MMM said: “Today we are at the ECCI Centre in the Air Force Base, Port Harcourt, where we are donating educational materials to eleven pupils of the Rivers State Primary School with the support of MMM.” 

    What made us undertake the project was the desire to see children of school age go to and stay in school and see them empowered to break the poverty cycle. MMM is sponsoring the project because we are committed to putting smiles on the faces of Nigerians.”

    According to her, the company is partnering with The Isio Kids Project because it shares the NGO’s vision which is to ensure children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds have the opportunity to go to school and the resources to enhance their learning experience.