The 2019 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Day celebration, commemorating NAF’s 55th anniversary reached the climax on Monday, at the Eagle Square in Abuja with a colourful and exciting ceremonial parade, K-9/Special Forces display as well as a thrilling Order of Battle (ORBAT) Flypast and Aerial display by some of the platforms in the inventory of the NAF.
Two new Agusta 109 Power Helicopters were also inducted into the service to boost the performance of the NAF’s constitutional roles of defending the territorial integrity of the country, especially the fight against insurgency and other forms of criminality across the country.
Speaking at the occasion, President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, lauded the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, for his commendable leadership of the NAF in the last four years.
The President noted that in fulfilling his promise to end the Boko Haram insurgency and other forms of criminality in the country, he made professionalism and capacity building of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) a major security policy thrust of his administration.
Buhari emphasised training and acquisition of brand new platforms as well as other support equipment for the AFN and other security agencies.
“I have no doubt that the employment of the newly acquired platforms, in addition to the Super Tucano aircraft, which would be delivered in 2022, would add impetus to the combat efficiency of the NAF,” he said.
The President, who appreciated the contributions of the NAF in addressing the security challenges of armed banditry/cattle rustling and kidnapping in the North-west, said the efforts of the service, in conjunction with other security agencies, had started yielding positive results, thereby restoring Nigeria’s pride and honour amongst the comity of nations.
He affirmed that his administration would not relent until every spot within the territory of the country enjoys peace and order.
“Furthermore, the gap between force projection and force protection capability has been substantially bridged with the training of more than 1,000 Special Forces. These personnel have been deployed as part of the Base Defence forces to deal with the threat to our bases and to support Internal Security Operations in various troubled spots across the country, especially in the North-east, North-central and North-west, respectively.
“The current status of the Nigerian Air Force is a testament to the continued and sustained efforts by our predecessors since the establishment of the service,” Abubakar said.
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