Air Force to Deploy Aircraft to Flash Points on Election Day

To ensure peaceful conduct of the March 9 gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, Wednesday said the Nigerian Air Force would deploy aircraft to various flash points to ensure safety of lives and properties in the country.

Abubakar stated this during his operational meeting with the Principal Staff Officers (PSOs), Air Officers Commanding (AOCs) and field commanders held at the Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force in Abuja.

“We wish to

encourage all eligible voters to come out en-masse to vote for the candidates of their choice. We are working with our sister agencies to ensure safety of lives and properties across the country.

“This is in addition to the deployment of Nigerian Air Force aircraft, including Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms, to various flash points in support of the Nigeria Police and other security agencies for the peaceful conduct of the elections,” Abubakar said.

The Chief of the Air Staff emphasised that the responsibility of Commanders is to ensure security of lives and property of Nigerians, noting that no excuse would be tolerated for any failure in this regard.

He said AOCs must ensure that all Air Force personnel remain professional in the discharge of their duties, whilst ensuring that no individual or group of individuals is allowed to undermine the electoral process.

Abubakar, in a statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, added that the Air Force personnel must endeavour to operate in accordance with the Code of Conduct promulgated by Defence Headquarters (DHQ) for members of the Armed Forces during elections. “They must sternly resist any entreaties by unscrupulous politicians to get involved in partisan politics,” he added.

The meeting also afforded the AOCs the opportunity to give updates on the level of preparedness and the security arrangements put in place for the conduct of the elections in their various areas of responsibilities (AORs).

During the meeting, Abubakar noted that contingency plans have been put in place in case of any break down of law and order, while Nigerian Air Force Hospitals and medical centres have been put on alert to assist in attending to any medical emergencies.

The Chief of Air Staff also explained that as part of its constitutional role of providing aid to civil authority, the NAF assisted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “in successfully airlifting a total of 633,790kg of electoral materials to 31 different locations across the country from 12 February 12 to March 3, 2019.”

He said eight aircraft of the Nigerian Air Force were employed in the airlift operation, “flying a total of about 340 hours in 257 sorties with about 120 crew members involved, comprising pilots, technicians and other specialties operating on an almost round the clock basis.”

•  By Idowu Sowunmi