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Tag: Air Force

  • Military helicopter with Defence chief aboard crashes

    Military helicopter with Defence chief aboard crashes

    Indian Air Force on Wednesday confirmed that there was an accident with an Indian military helicopter with Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat aboard.

    Earlier, the media had reported that the helicopter crashed, and a search and rescue operation had been launched.

    Nine people were on board the copper and three were rescued, according to the India Today news agency.

    “An IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter, with CDS Gen. Bipin Rawat on board, met with an accident today near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu.

    An Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident,’’ the air force tweeted.

  • Air Force officer indicted for sexual harassment of female colleague

    Defence Ministry in South Korea says it has arraigned an Air Force noncommissioned officer who was accused of sexually harassing a female colleague, which made her to commit suicide have been arraigned.

    The defence ministry disclosed this in a statement issued in Seoul on Monday.

    The statement said the master sergeant, surnamed Jang, was suspected of sexually abusing the victim of the same rank inside a car on their way back to their base after a drinking session in March.

    However, in June 2021, she was found dead in an apparent suicide after complaining of the Air Force’s mishandling of the case.

    Amid intense public fury, the case was referred to the defense ministry, and Jang was detained in June.

    “The defense ministry prosecution indicted Jang on charges of sexual harassment and inflicting injury, as well as violating the Additional Punishment Law on Specific Crimes.

    “The alleged violation of the additional punishment law was applied as the suspect threatened the victim with retaliation if she did not forgive him.’’

    The ministry said the military prosecutors raided the public affairs office of the Air Force headquarters as part of an extensive probe without specifying details.

    The military came under criticism following revelations by the victim’s family that the victim’s superiors, tried to persuade her to reach a settlement with the suspect without taking due protective measures in a suspected attempt to cover up the case.

    According to the statement, so far, three Air Force noncommissioned officers, including Jang, have been detained, and dozens are under probe.

  • (Video): Air Force hits Boko Haram targets, scores of terrorists killed

    (Video): Air Force hits Boko Haram targets, scores of terrorists killed

    Air strikes by the Air Task Force of Operation LAFIYA DOLE under subsidiary Operation HAIL STORM have hit several Boko Haram targets, the Defence Headquarters said on Saturday.

    Major General John Enenche, coordinator of defence media operation, said the strikes massively destroyed Boko Haram Terrorists’ (BHTs’) Camps, with scores of their fighters killed.

    One of the raid was carried out at Tongule in the night of 24 September.

    Daytime raids were also executed at Bone and Isari B Musa on 25 September.

    “The strike on Tongule was undertaken after surveillance missions revealed continued assembly of the terrorists within the settlement at nighttime”, Enenche said.

    “Accordingly, the Air Task Force dispatched Nigerian Air Force (NAF) helicopter gunships for a night attack on the location, with their barrage of rockets neutralizing several of the terrorists.

  • Military plane carrying air force cadets crashes, killing 22

    Military plane carrying air force cadets crashes, killing 22

    A military transport plane, carrying air force cadets, crashed and burst into flames near a highway in north-eastern Ukraine on Friday evening, killing at least 22 people on board, officials said.

    The Antonov An-26 aircraft crashed while trying to land during a training exercise, the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Ruslan Khomchak, said in a statement.

    Khomchak added that at least two more people were critically injured.

    A video posted by Deputy Interior Minister, Anton Gerashchenko, on Facebook showed the plane in flames lying near a road and smoke billowing upwards in the night sky.

    Pictures taken later showed rescue workers inspecting the wreckage near the town of Chuhuiv.

    An investigation has started on what caused the crash.

    One pilot reported failure in the left engine of the twin-engine plane, said Oleksiy Kucher, the governor of the Kharkiv region, according to Interfax Ukraine.

    Kucher added that this would not have been a critical situation for an experienced pilot.

    Citing preliminary information, Kucher said that some of the people on board managed to jump out of the plane when it was at low altitude.

    An eyewitness cited by the Ukraine 24 news channel also said people had jumped out.

    The crash happened around two kilometres (1.2 miles) from a military airport, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine said in a statement.

    It said 27 people had been on board the plane, revising that figure from an earlier estimate of 28.

    The cadets were from the Kharkiv University of Air Force, which is run by the Defence Ministry.

    “A state commission is being created to identify all the circumstances and causes of this disaster.

    Search and rescue work continues on the spot,’’ President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s office said.

    Zelenskiy will travel to the area on Saturday.

  • Air Force announces redeployment of 36 AVMs, 40 commodores(Full List)

    Air Force announces redeployment of 36 AVMs, 40 commodores(Full List)

    In what it called a routine exercise, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has announced the redeployment of 36 Air Vice Marshals (AVMs) and 40 Air Commodores (Air Cdres).

    Affected are some Branch Chiefs, Air Officers Commanding (AOCs), Commandants of Tri-Service Institutions, Directors and Commanders.

    The appointments and redeployments followed the recent promotion of some senior officers to higher ranks as well as the retirement of some senior officers. The exercise will reinvigorate operational efficiency and enhancing service delivery.

    Branch Chiefs affected by the redeployment include AVM Oladayo Amao, the former Chief of Training and Operations (CTOP) Headquarters NAF (HQ NAF), who has now been appointed as the Chief of Policy and Plans (COPP); while AVM James Gwani, the erstwhile AOC Special Operations Command (SOC), has been appointed as the new CTOP.

    Additionally, AVM Musibau Olatunji has been appointed as the new Chief of Aircraft Engineering (CAcE), while AVM Mohammed Idris has been appointed as the Chief of Administration (COA) HQ NAF.

    Also redeployed are AVM Abubakar Liman, the erstwhile Commandant of the Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (AFRC), Oshodi, who has now been appointed as Commandant Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji; AVM Kingsley Lar, the former COA HQ NAF, has been appointed as the Commandant of AFRC, Oshodi; while AVM Abdulganiyu Olabisi, the former AOC Logistics Command (LC) is now the Commandant, Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna.

    The new AOCs include: AVM Olusegun Philip, who is now the AOC Tactical Air Command (AOC TAC) in Makurdi; AVM Charles Ohwo, the former AOC TAC, who is now the AOC SOC, Bauchi; AVM Ibukun Ojeyemi who has been appointed as the AOC Mobility Command (MC) in Yenagoa and AVM Musa Muktar who is the new AOC Air Training Command (ATC); while the former Commandant AFCSC, AVM Lawal Alao, is now the AOC LC, Ikeja.

    Other senior officers redeployed include AVM Anderson Kassimu who is now the Managing Director NAF Properties Limited; AVM Mohammed Suleiman who is appointed as the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans (CDPP), Defence Headquarters (DHQ), AVM Tunde Awoyoola as Chief of Defence Transformation and Innovation, DHQ; AVM Ubrufi Uzezi as Deputy Chief of the Defence Space Administration and AVM Charles Otegbade to the Air Traffic Services Training Centre (ATSTC), Kaduna as Commandant. Also affected are AVM Idi Lubo who is now the Director of Policy HQ NAF, AVM Ayoola Jolasinmi who is appointed as Director of Operations, AVM Aliyu Pani as the Director of Administration and Air Commodore Abraham Adole as Director of Training, HQ NAF.

    Also redeployed is the former Commander 011 Presidential Air Fleet (011 PAF), AVM Hassan Abubakar who is now the Chief of Staff (COS) MC, Yenagoa. He is to be replaced by Air Commodore Abubakar Abdullahi while Air Commodore Simon Peter is to take over as the Commander 053 NAF Camp, Abuja and Air Commodore Razak Olanrewaju is appointed as the new Commander 651 Bases Services Group, Ikeja. The newly appointed and redeployed senior officers are expected to take over their new offices not later than Tuesday, 7 January 2020.

  • Ex-Air Force chief, Omenyi bags 7-year prison term

    The Federal High Court Abuja, on Thursday, sentenced AVM Tony Omenyi to seven years in prison for receiving N136 million bribe from Nigerian Air force, (NAF) contractors.

    Delivering judgment, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, said that he was satisfied that the prosecution had proved its case and testimonies of its witnesses were not controverted.

    Omenyi was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), for receiving N136 million kick back from Syrius Technologies and Sky Experts Limited ,two contractors of the Nigeria Air Force.

    He was charged on three counts bordering on abuse of office and money laundering but pleaded not guilty.

    “The court did not believe that the evidence given by Omenyi in his defence was credible.

    “The defence was a sham,” the judge held.

    The judge noted that if actually the money the defendant received from Mrs Theresa Etu, a NAF contractor was a refund as he claimed, the said expenditure should have had receipts to show for it.

    “For example the N15 million he said he helped her pay for refueling of two aircraft, he should have received a receipt from those who refuelled but no receipt or invoice was tendered in court by the defence.”

    The judge wondered what motivation the defendant had in expending his own money in executing a contract on behalf of a contractor.

    He further noted that it was pertinent for a public office holder to operate at arms length with a contractor, particularly one that was working for the office in which he had due influence over.

    He further wondered how the defendant could claim to have made expenditure on behalf of Etu when he was a co-owner of the business she operated and her business partner.

    The judge pronounced that:” In view of the above, I find the defendants guilty and convict them accordingly.

    He sentenced the convict to seven years in prison on each of the three counts preferred against him to run concurrently with effect from Thursday.

    He also ordered that the N62 million recovered from him by the EFCC be forfeited to the Federal Government.

    The judge further made an order that the convict’s company, which was the second defendant in the suit be wound up having being used as a conduit pipe to perpetrate economic fraud.

    Omenyi had said in his defence that the monies he received from Etu, were refunds for services he undertook on her behalf.

    Counsel to the convict, Mr Gordy Uche had appealed to the judge to temper justice with mercy particularly since the convict was a first time offender and had served the country meritoriously.

    The Prosecutor, Mr Mohammed Abubakar confirmed that the agency had no record of a previous conviction.

    He urged the court to, inline with Section 15(4) of the Money Laundering Act, make an order winding up the second defendant, since it was a company registered in Nigeria.

    Omenyi, retired, was the former Managing Director of Aeronautical Engineering and Technical Services Limited (AETSL), a company owned by the Nigeria Air Force.

    In the cause of the trial, the first prosecution witness, Mr Hassan Saidu, an EFCC Principal Detective, informed the court that the investigation of the defendant was triggered by a letter from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

    He said that the letter had alleged that the defendant was operating suspicious accounts.

  • Buhari mourns Air Force officers who died in helicopter crash

    President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed heartfelt condolences to the Nigerian Air Force, and relations of five people who lost their lives in a military helicopter crash January 2 in Damasak, Borno State.

    The president mourns Flight Lieutenant Perowei Jacob (Pilot in Command), Flight Lieutenant Kaltho Paul Kilyofas (Co-Pilot), Sergeant Auwal Ibrahim (Flight Technician), Lance Corporal Adamu Nura (Gunner), and Aircraftman Meshack Ishmael (Gunner), who died in the mishap.

    Commiserating with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, President Buhari said it was sad that the fine officers and men lost their lives in the bid to guarantee the safety and protection of their countrymen.

    He said rather than dampen the morale of troops fighting the insurgency in the North-east, the unfortunate development would rather bolster their resolve to completely eliminate all evildoers within the shortest possible time.

    To the families and relations of the dead, President Buhari condoles with them, noting that the dead officers and men were heroes, who paid the supreme price for peace to reign in the country.

  • Air Force to deploy fighter gets, helicopters to Benue, others – CAS

    Air Force to deploy fighter gets, helicopters to Benue, others – CAS

    Nigerian Air Force will soon deploy fighter gets, helicopter gunships and other military assets to curb current security challenges in Benue and Taraba states, Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar, said.

    He made the disclosure at the inauguration of accommodation quarters and reference hospital for officers of 115 Special Operations Group (SOG) on Wednesday in Port Harcourt.

    He said the deployment of military assets was aimed at complementing joint intervention force already in Benue and in other troubled states.

    He added that “we are doing a whole lot to make sure that every community in Nigeria is secure. Part of that commitment is our recent establishment of Quick Response Wing in Taraba.

    “The unit will soon be deployed to Uguruoje community in the heart of Taraba. The establishment of the unit will add value to what is happening and secure communities.

    “In Benue, we already have a joint intervention force comprising army, navy and air force with over 1,000 personnel reporting there.

    “Some of the aircraft in 115 SOG will be mobilised to different areas of the country where they are required. So, everybody is working round the clock to secure the communities.”

    The chief of air staff said Federal Government and the military were committed to addressing current security challenges in the middle belt and in other parts of the country.

    He added that air force had on Monday taken delivery of two M1-35M helicopter gunships acquired from Russia as part of ongoing efforts to equip troops.

    The air chief said aside equipping troops, several efforts were made to improve welfare of troops and professionalise the air force.

    “Professionalism is not just acquisition of aircraft and getting people to fire rockets and bombs. The whole aim is equally to take care of the human beings.

    “This is why we embarked on providing officers’ accommodation building to assist in addressing the accommodation needs of this unit (115 SOG) to a large extent.

    “Similarly, the Nigerian Air Force Reference Hospital will assist in addressing secondary and tertiary healthcare needs of personnel and host community.”

    Abubakar said the military was doing a lot to ensure that Nigerians were safe to pursue their aspirations without molestation by any individual or group.

  • How Air Force personnel, others robbed Magu’s farm house –Police

    The Police yesterday, revealed how two Air Force personnel, and two other suspects allegedly robbed the farm house of Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu. It will be recalled that gunmen had, on December 12, 2017, invaded the farm house located at Karshi, a suburb Abuja, killing Sergeant Haruna Sarki, who was on guard duty.

    Parading the suspects at the Force Headquarters, Deputy Force Public Relations Officer (DFPRO), Mr. Aremu Adeniran, a Superintendent of Police, said two Air Force personnel, whose names were not mentioned, were facing disciplinary action initiated by the authorities of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF),

    This was as Adeniran further disclosed that a dismissed Lance Corporal, Vincent Michael, was also involved in the act. Other suspects paraded were, Inalegwu Omikpa, and Francis Ochife.

    “The other two gang members are Air Force personnel currently facing disciplinary action with the Nigeria Air Force,” Adeniran said. According to the spokesman: “On December 12, 2017, some suspected criminals/armed men invaded the Farm House of the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Mr Ibrahim Magu at Barkin Uza Karshi Area of Abuja, killing a Police Sergeant, Haruna Sarki, who was on guard duty.

    They also carted away two AK47 rifles belonging to the police personnel on duty. Adeniran noted: “Consequent on the aforementioned, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris directed the IGP Intelligence Response Team to carry out a discreet investigation into the invasion/ attack, arrest and bring perpetrators to justice. The above mentioned principal suspects were arrested by the police team in their various criminal hideouts after an unrelenting trail of the perpetrators.

    Two AK47 rifles carted away from the slain sergeant and one other police personnel on duty were recovered from the possession of a member of the gang in his village in Otukpo, Benue State.”

    Adeniran further disclosed that: “The suspects have confessed to the various criminal roles they played in the commission of the crime. Investigation is ongoing to arrest other members of the gang still at large. All suspects would be arraigned in court on completion of investigation.

    The renewed commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to guarantee protection of lives and property across the country remains unequivocal and unwavering.” Items also recovered were two AK47 rifles, recovered police rifles, two mobile phones, two magazines and 60 rounds of AK47 ammunition.

  • NAF decorates 14 newly-graduated pilots in Abuja

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Monday in Abuja decorated 14 of its newly-graduated pilots with their “Wings” after completion of their flight training in Nigeria and South Africa.

    The 14 pilots being decorated on completion of their training, 12 were from Nigerian Air Force, while two were from Liberia.

    The officers are : Flying officers A. Abba, T.Tamen, C.Gadzama, E.Agwu, M.Adamu, H.Ajagbe and A.Man-Ugwueje,

    Others are : O. Obi, Flight. Lt. V. Sirleaf, Flight Lt. J.Dwanah,O.Akadiri, Flying Officer P.Piyo, Flying officer D.Otuokon and Flying officer I. Obi.

    The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, while decorating the officers with their pilot’s wings, urged them not to be complacent in their duties.

    He advised the young pilots to be prepared for the task ahead as they fit into the operational flying environment.

    “You must not become complacent, knowing that flying operations require discipline, dedication and a lot of hard work, indeed, your journey to fruitful flying arrears is just beginning.

    “You must, therefore, be mentally prepared for mentoring by your captains and sector colleagues in the field.

    He also urged the officers not to forget the three ‘Ds’ to success, which are Drive, Discipline and Desire in the quest for daily improvement.

    “Remember that you are being inducted into flying operations at a key movement in our nation’s history.

    “Consequently, you would do well to always remember that the hopes of millions are resting on your broad shoulders.

    “Learn the rudiments of your craft well and be guided by a purpose higher than yourselves,” he said.

    Abubakar further urged the officers to conduct themselves as professionals, when they are deployed to their operational units.

    “Treat innocent citizens with respect and dignity, but be very decisive in dealing with those that are out to undermine the security of our people and our nation,” Abubakar said.

    He expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for his unflinching support to the Nigerian Air Force.

    ” Let me reassure all Nigerians that the Nigerian Air Force remains fully committed to the successful execution of its constitutional roles.

    “It will continue to meet its statutory responsibilities of defending the territorial integrity of the nation, whether singularly, or in unison with the surface forces and other security agencies,” he said.

    He said that four NAF students were currently undergoing training with the United States Air Force.

    Abubakar said that one of those undergoing training was the first female potential fighter pilot in the Nigerian Air Force.

    The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, who was represented by the permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Mrs Nuratu Batagarawa, congratulated the pilots for their new wings.

    He said that the pilots had every reason to be happy, noting that their new wings marked another chapter in their lives and that of their Liberian colleagues.

    Dan-Ali urged the new pilots to remain focused in the “journey of the glorious future ahead.”