The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has made moves to tackle the menace of herdsmen in Taraba State, with the proposed establishment of a Forward Operational Base (FOB).
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar who announced this today, Thursday in a lecture he delivered to participants of National Defence College (NDC) Course 26 in Abuja, said that in addition to the Operational Base there will also be a Quick Response Wing along the Benue-Nassarawa Axis.
Speaking on theme: ‘The Nigerian Air Force – Challenges and Future Perspectives,’ the Air Force Chief spoke about his vision for the NAF and the current efforts being made to actualizing such dream. Some of the initiatives included 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.
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. [myad]
