The Nigerian Air Force ( NAF ) says it is ready to partner with innovative institutions for capacity development to combat insecurity and insurgency in the country.
AVM Paul Jemitola, Principal Director, Air Research and Development Center, NAF, Kaduna, said this on Wednesday in Benin at the ongoing 15th meeting of the National Council of Science and Technology.
Jemitola said that this was in line with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar’s vision for the Air Force.
According to him, the Air Chief is keen on research and development and encourages all kinds of development projects by the Air Force.
He said the Air Force was at the meeting to network and collaborate with other agencies and ministries that had capacity that would be of benefit to the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Jemitola said that the latest technology developed in addition to the many innovations by the Air Force were the Gulma Unmanned Area Vehicle ( UAV ) and the Unmanned Ground Vehicle ( UGV ).
He said that the UAV had a maximum Altitude capacity of 10,000 feet; cruise speed of 86.4kts; endurance limit of 5.8h hours and with a range of 923 kilometres and an engine capacity of 17hp.
Other components of the UAV, otherwise known as drone is that it is fully composite and a micro pilot avionics.
He said that the raw materials used in developing both the UAV and UGV were sourced within the country.
According to him, both equipment were designed and manufactured by the Air Development and Research Centre.
He said that the key thing in all was the intellectual capacity that brought the innovation together to a functioning unit that could be used for military purposes.
The Nigerian Air Force ( NAF ) on Monday said it had acquired and renovated five additional air craft to fight insurgency and other crimes in the country.
The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, disclosed this at the Fourth Quarter 2017 CAS conference with the Branch Chiefs, Air Officer Commanding (AOCs) , Field Commanders, among others at its Headquarters in Abuja.
Abubakar said the aim of the conference was to appraise progress made in NAF since the end of the Third Quarter held in Kaduna State in September.
The CAS said further that the reason for the conference was also to obtain ideas from the bottom to the top, toward moving the service forward.
He explained that to enable the service carry out its mandate, of protecting the country, the institution had trained a number of pilots and had already been deployed for operational duties.
“A female pilot, for the first time in the history of NAF, was on the way to the United States Air Force for training as a fighter pilot.
“Having graduated as the overall best pilot during ab-initio training at 401 Flying Training School Kaduna State,” he said.
Abubakar explained further that for the service to carry out its professional duties, NAF had also activated additional platforms which had been deployed for operations in the North-East.
“One Bell 412 Helicopter had been activated, while work on the second one would be completed before end of December.
“One Mi-35P Helicopter is being reactivated and should be ready for operation by January 2018 ending.
“The overhauled engines needed for the reactivation had already arrived in Nigeria. The reactivation is being done locally to further build the capacity of NAF technical personnel as well as saving cost,” he said.
The CAS added that foreign technical experts had been invited to execute the project in conjunction with NAF engineers and technicians.
Abubakar said the two additional Mi-35M helicopters recently procured for NAF by the Federal Government had been test flown in Russia and should be operational in Nigeria by February 2018.
He said a total of five combat helicopters were being added to NAF counter-insurgency efforts.
“The Periodic Depot Maintenance (PDM) of C-130H Aircraft had commenced in Lagos State, also being done locally by foreign technical experts with personnel for capacity building.
“Similarly, the Service life of C-130H aircraft NAF 913 has been successfully extended. The foregoing efforts are to boost the strategic and operational airlift capability of NAF,” he said.
The CAS said further that the air operations in the North-East had been reorganised for increased efficiency.
He added that the Air Component Commander had been replaced with a Commander, Air Task Force, an Air Vice Marshal, who reports to the Theatre Commander.
He said NAF had also appointed three Divisional Air Liaison Officers (DALO) for the Nigerian Army’s 3 Armourer Division well as 7 and 8 Divisions in the North-East.
He said the whole idea was to ensure a better coordination of air efforts with ground operations. The NAF has also appointed an Air Liaison Officer for the Theatre Command to further limit the possibility of gaps in operations.
“In the area of Force Protection, NAF has trained some of its Regiment personnel as additional Special Forces and deployed them to the North-East for operations alongside other surface forces.
“NAF has graduated the second set of participants from its Air War College in Makurdi, Benue, the graduates are expected to add value to the Service in general and in operational activities,” he said.
The CAS enjoined the senior officers to be frank in their contributions, identify challenges and proffer ways of moving the NAF forward.
The Nigerian Air Force ( NAF ) on Thursday graduated 414 special forces of its personnel out which 396 were airmen, airwomen and 18 were Officers.
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar made the disclosure during the Combined graduation of Basic Regiment Officers, airmen and Gunnery II Course and special forces course 2017, at the Military Training Centre NAF base in Kaduna.
The Air Chief was represented by Air Officer Commanding, Ground Training Command, AVM Samson Akpasa.
Abubakar said the 414 personnel undergone various special courses, which include intermediate regiment airmen course and special forces course, others are basic regiment officers course and basic regiment airmen,and airwomen course.
“All these culminated to the force protection in complex air ground environment course.
“The knowledge you have acquired couple with the practical exercise in basic field tactics, weapon training, map reading and airfield defence training are designed to prepare you for prompt deployment as the need arises.
“I am sure you have imbibed the attributes of the military profession absolutely loyalty discipline, honesty, intelligence, accountability, teamwork and courage among other values.
“I want you to note that it is the possession of these virtues that binds all ranks in the service,” he said
Abubakar reminded the personnel that the service invested enormous resources in accomplishing the training, saying “it is therefore desirable that you reciprocate the good gesture.”
He said that NAF will continue to support all efforts to make the regiment a fighting force with the requisite capacity in the protection of NAF asset.
The Air Chief appreciated the unending support of President Muhammadu Buhari, who adequately provided funding for training and operational activities of NAF.
Earlier the Commandant Regiment Training Centre, Group Captain, Isa’ac Subi , said the curriculum of regiment training centre were re-structured to make more effective and efficient in training personnel to meet changing complexities of military operation.
Subi said the topics covered include, understanding threats, the motivation, methodologies of attack, troops leading, signal communication, combat medics counter terrorism among others.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the training were conducted by the Israeli Military Training Organisation and British Military Advisory Training Team (BMATT).
The Nigerian Air Force said it has bombarded Boko Haram enclaves in Sambisa with air strikes from five aircrafts resulting in heavy causalities since the commencement of Operation Ruwan Wuta II.
The NAF said within three days of the rain of fire on the insurgents in the Northeast, their structures have been destroyed, while survivors who were fleeing the target areas were neutralized with rockets and cannons.
The Director of Public Relations and Information of the NAF, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya said in a statement that the air interdictions were meant to clear remnants of the insurgents from their various hideouts in the Northeast.
The statement reads: “In continuation of Operation RUWAN WUTA II, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has continued to rain significant fire on Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) locations, with intensive day and night aerial bombardments.
“On 24 Oct 17, the second day of the Operation, the NAF conducted an air interdiction mission on the BHT-infested settlement of GHATA MUSA, located about 16km Northwest of MADAGALI.
“The location was observed to have significant BHT activities, indicative of its use as a hideout for the insurgents. The air interdiction was conducted by 5 aircraft namely 2 F-7Ni aircraft, armed with bombs and 3 Alpha Jet aircraft, armed with a combination of bombs, rockets and cannons.
“Two Alpha Jet aircraft and 2 F-Ni aircraft took turns to pound the location with bombs, destroying some structures and sending a few BHT survivors fleeing from the location.
“Thereafter, the third Alpha Jet Aircraft returned to strafe the location with rockets and cannons, neutralizing some fleeing insurgents in the process.
“On Day 3 of the Operation, the NAF conducted another air interdiction mission on a BHT structure in PARISU, which is the Northeastern gateway into the Sambisa Forest.
“The target building in PARISU was confirmed to be a BHT hideout and subsequently earmarked for attack. Four NAF aircraft namely 2 x F-7Ni aircraft, armed with bombs and 2 x Alpha Jet aircraft, armed with bombs and rockets, conducted the air interdiction.
“One Alpha Jet aircraft and the 2 x F-7Ni aircraft took turns to attack the location with bombs, thereby destroying the target structure.
“This was followed up with rockets and cannons’ attack of the target area, by the second Alpha Jet aircraft, after which no terrorist movement was further observed at the location.
“Operation RUWAN WUTA II, which was initiated by the NAF leadership, is part of efforts to further decimate the ability of the BHTs to freely operate and to give advantage to our surface forces.”
The wife of Abubakar Shekau, leader of the Boko Haram terrorist organisation appeared to be one of those killed by Nigerian Air Force (NAF) air strikes on Durwawa settlement in Urga, near Konduga, Borno state, the Nigerian Air Force has announced.
Her name is Mallama Fitdasi.
A statement signed by the Director of Public Relations and Information of the NAF, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya said intelligence reports indicated that she appeared to have been killed in the air strikes.
The statement reads: “Human Intelligence indicates that the wife of the Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) Organization, Mallama Fitdasi, appeared to have been killed in recent successful airstrikes on DURWAWA settlement on the outskirts of URGA, near KONDUGA.
“Mallama Fitdasi was reported to have been representing her husband in a coordinating meeting with other terrorists at the location of the airstrikes.
“It is recalled that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) had reported the successful aerial attack of a large number of BHTs at DURWAWA on 19 October 2017. Battle Damage Assessment had indeed revealed that the aerial attack set off a fire, causing damage to the BHT structures within the settlement and neutralized most of the BHTs with a few of them fleeing the location.
“Efforts are ongoing to confirm the reported killing of Shekau’s wife, alongside other BHTs.”
The Nigerian Army on Wednesday said its troops had killed 11 Boko Haram insurgents and destroyed a bomb making factory at Ngala Local Government Area of Borno.
Brig.-Gen. Sani Kukasheka, the Director, Army Public Rations said this in a statement in Maiduguri.
Kukasheka said that the troops, in joint operations with the Air Force and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), on Tuesday attacked insurgents’ hideouts at Mogole, Ngaiwa, Tongule, and Warsele villages of Ngala Local Government Area of the state.
He disclosed that the troops destroyed the insurgents’ logistics base and a workshop at Ngaiwa village and an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) making factory at Tongul.
The director further said 85 persons were rescued from the insurgents in the villages.
Kukasheka said that the troops also recovered a gun truck; four suicide bomb vests, various IED making materials, three Dane guns.
Others, he said were: one Barretta pistol, 22 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 5 motorcycles, 13 bicycles and a wheelbarrow.
“Tuesday Oct. 24 will go down as one of the best in the outing of troops of 3 Battalion, 22 Brigade Nigerian Army of Operation LAFIYA DOLE in their daily clearance of the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists, especially in northern parts of Borno.
“The unit in conjunction with gallant 22 Mobile Strike Team accompanied by Civilian JTF, based on credible information carried out offensive operations at suspected Boko Haram terrorists hide outs at Mogola,” he said.
Other areas where the soldiers carried out operations he said were Ngaiwa, Tongule and Warsele villages in Ngala Local Government Area of the state.
“The operation which was supported by the Nigerian Air Force was very successful in achieving its objectives”.
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.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said on Saturday that it has neutralised and set ablaze the insurgent’s structures in Urga area near Konduga.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanua, made this known in Abuja.
Adesanya explained that component of Operation “LAFIYA DOLE” conducted an attack on a location in Urga area close to Konduga.
“Previous intelligence reports, gathered through Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions by NAF ISR platforms, had indicated the presence of a large number of insurgents in Durwawa settlement in the outskirt of Urga.
“Accordingly, one Alpha Jet aircraft was detailed to carry out air interdiction on the target and overhead the location, the aircraft acquired and attacked the target twice with bombs.
“Subsequently, Battle Damage Assessment revealed that the aerial attack set off a fire, causing damage to the insurgent’s structures within the settlement and neutralizing most of the insurgents while a few of them fled the location,” he said.
The director explained further that the aerial attack by NAF was in furtherance of efforts at ensuring the complete decimation of the insurgents by not allowing them to continue their terrorist attacks on innocent Nigerians. (NAN)
The Nigerian Air Force continued its air strikes against the Boko Haram insurgent group Tuesday with the bombing of the terrorists’ hideout in Sambisa forest.
According to the Director of Public Relations and Information of the NAF, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, the latest operations have led to the destruction of structures belonging to the insurgents.
Adesanya said in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja that the air interdiction was carried out by the Alpha Jet F-Ni aircraft.
He said: “On the fourth day of the ongoing intensive bombardment of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) hideouts in the Sambisa general area, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) conducted air interdiction on a BHT settlement in Njimia on 10 September 2017.
“NAF Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms had previously confirmed that several structures used by the terrorists as meeting points were in the location.
“The air interdiction was conducted by the Alpha Jet and F-7Ni aircraft, which took turns to attack the location with bombs. Subsequent Battle Damage Assessment showed that the targeted BHT structures were destroyed as a result of the attacks.
“The attacks were designed to further break the will and capability of the BHTs to regroup against own surface forces”.
The Nigerian Air Force yesterday its air operations against Boko Haram in the North East has gulped over 1.03 million litres of aviation fuel from its reserve.
It added that said its aircraft operations in the Operation Lafiya Dole component have peaked at about 1077 hours so far.
According to the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, the nation’s air power can now be projected effectively beyond the country.
Air Marshal Abubakar disclosed this in Abuja during the opening of strategic meeting with Air Force Branch Chiefs, Air Officers Commanding and Field Commanders at the Air Force Headquarters.
He warned elements of the Boko Haram insurgent groups to have a rethink on their activities in the Northeast, stressing that air operations within the coming weeks against them would be too hot for them to endure.
The Air Force Chief also said he had deployed a team of medical personnel from the service to Makurdi, to attend to victims of last week’s flood in Benue State.
Air Marshal Abubakar who said the meeting was aimed at seeking possible ways of moving the service forward in line with contemporary expectations, disclosed that his administration had graduated 16 trained pilots at the Flying School Kaduna.
He noted that the feat was made possible after 33 years due to some critical challenges within the institution.
He said: “We have done a lot in the last few months in terms of the structure of the Nigerian Air Force,in terms of training,in terms of capacity building and in terms of maintenance.
“Reports from units indicate that we are really making substantial progress as regards responsibilities assigned to us by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The uniqueness about this set of cadets is that this nation s the first time in 32 years that the Nigerian Air Force is graduating cadets from 401 Flying Training School Kaduna, “he said.
Speaking further, Abubakar said:” In the past years,we used to graduate officers,officers graduate from Primary Flying Training in Kaduna.
But by the special grace of God and with the commitment of the Air Officer Training Commanding, the Commander and our late colleague commander, Group Captain Adanu Ochai, who was the Commanding officer of the flying wing,we have been able reverse the train.
“With the graduation of these cadets now,we are looking forward to the day when we will have cadets as instructor pilots.It has happened in the past and it’s going to happen again.”
He added:”Also since we came,we have brought into the service over 1900 recruits, who are supposed to join us in the service to support us to tackle the challenges facing our nation.
“In addition to this, about 106 Direct Short Service cadets have graduated and they have been posted already to different units of the service.
“It is also gratifying to note that we have projected air power beyond Nigeria.The C130 has contacted a number of flights to deliver relief materials to Sierra Leone
“I believe so much has been achieved but we need to evaluate all that we set out to achieve. We are not yet done,we must redouble our efforts especially in the North East.
“I know we have commenced operations in the North East which is aimed at further degrading the Boko Haram. We are going to massively dominate the entire area and make it extremely difficult for anybody that is there that is a criminal who wants to come out to kill innocent Nigerians.”
On what the service has done in its humanitarian programme, Abubakar said:
“In our humanitarian programme,we have 241 IDPs patients have been attended to free of charge.
“I have been briefed by our Chief of Medical Services today that our medical team has been deployed to Makurdi to provide medical services to the indigenes of Benue State that have been affected by recent flood.”
