The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Thursday graduated eight Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) pilots in Kaduna State. They graduated from the 109 Combat Reconnaissance Group, NAF Kaduna.
The Air Officer Commanding, Tactical Air Command, AVM Patrick Obeya was the Special Guest of Honour at the Operational Conversion Training Course 3/2024.
Obeya said the graduation marked a significant milestone for the dedicated professionals who successfully completed the rigorous training programme for ‘Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operations’.
He congratulated the graduands on their achievement, emphasising the importance of their role in air operations, national security, and the NAF’s objectives.
Obeya applauded the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, for his commitment to training and human capacity development.
According to him, the training programme was facilitated by experienced instructors, equipping the graduates with essential skills and knowledge to carry out their vital tasks with diligence, accuracy, and integrity.
He said some of the graduands would be deployed to Maiduguri, Borno, to contribute to the air efforts in Operation HADIN KAI.
Obeya advised the graduates to stay updated with technological advancements and work collaboratively with other aviation personnel. He commended the training unit and award winners, encouraging them to excel further.
Obeya said, “NAF’s commitment to capacity building and its efforts to enhance air operations. The graduates are now fully equipped to seamlessly fit into NAF air operations across various theatres.
“The graduates are now equipped to play a vital role in national security and the NAF’s objectives.”
Earlier, the Commander, 109 Combat Reconnaissance Group , Group Capt. Augustine Idoko, underscored the significance of the training programme in developing agile and resilient Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) operators.
The commander expressed gratitude to the Chief of the Air Staff for his visionary leadership and commitment to training and force development.
Idoko said the group had made significant contributions to NAF’s mandate, conducting precision air strikes, ‘Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR)’missions, and ‘Battle Damage Assessment (BDA)’.
He said the unit had conducted over 130 missions and accumulated more than 950 hours in the first half of 2025.
Idoko said, “The unit has maintained an aircraft serviceability rate of over 80 per cent across its fleet.
“The unit has achieved several milestones, including conducting the first-ever NAF Type-Rating Course (NAFTRAC) for RPA operators in NAF.
He said the unit plans to inaugurate the next Operational Conversion Training Course early next month, which would add more operators to the operational manpower pool and enhance operational effectiveness.
He said the unit remained committed to sustaining its effort in training and human capacity development, aligning with the policy thrust of the current NAF administration.