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Tag: Air Force

  • Boko Haram: Air force helicopter crashes in northeast

    A Mi-17 attack helicopter of the Nigerian Air Force has crashed in the northeast during a counter-insurgency operation.

    The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, who confirmed that the helicopter “suffered mishap”, noted that the aircraft had a significant damage but no life was lost.

    “The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has immediately directed the constitution of a board of inquiry to determine the cause of the incident,” Adesanya added.

     

    Details later…

  • Air Force raids degraded Boko Haram insurgents – COAS

    Air Force raids degraded Boko Haram insurgents – COAS

    The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, on Friday said the service had carried out air raids causing heavy damage to the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East.

    Sadiq told newsmen in Maiduguri that several air raids were conducted under the Operation Ruwan Wuta II, designed as a final onslaught on the insurgents.

    “The whole idea is to further degrade the capacity of the Boko Haram insurgents and to make sure that we get them where they are hiding.

    “And in the last few days it has been very successful, we have been able to substantially effect the necessary damage and frustrate any effort for them to re-group in certain areas of Sambisa Forest”.

    Sadiq disclosed that the Federal Government had procured aircrafts and helicopters to enhance air operations in the campaign against the Boko Haram insurgents as well as protect lives and property.

    He said that the newly acquired jets and helicopters would soon be deployed to the front line to enhance the counter-insurgency operation in the region.

    The Chief of Air Staff added that the service had constructed residential accommodation and upgraded the apron at 105 Composite Group, Maiduguri to accommodate the increasing number of war planes.

    Sadiq explained that the projects were designed to provide enabling environment and decent accommodation to improve the wellbeing of the servicemen.

    “The Federal Government has approved more aircraft for us and we are thinking ahead to see that we have the accommodation for those coming with these helicopters and aircrafts the government has procured for us.

    “With more aircrafts you have to expand the parking space; we have reactivated a quite a number and more are coming, what we thought was to quickly expand the apron so that we have enough space for the aircrafts that are coming to be able to park.

    “For us in the Air Force; we are always working, training, expanding infrastructure, building capacity for both the pilots, technicians and engineers”.

    While lauding the government’s gesture, Sadiq also commended the servicemen for their dedication and gallantry in the counter-insurgency operation.

     

    NAN

     

  • Air Force bombs Boko Haram insurgents regrouping in Sambisa

    Air Force bombs Boko Haram insurgents regrouping in Sambisa

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Wednesday said it had frustrated efforts of the Boko Haram insurgents to regroup.

    The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, said this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja.

    Adesanya said component of Operation “LAFIYA DOLE” conducted an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission of the Sambisa general area, the former spiritual headquarters of the insurgents.

    He said during the ISR mission, a gradual convergence of insurgents elements at some buildings in Alagarno Camp one was noticed.

    “The sight of several solar panels on the rooftops of the buildings, and the obvious attempt to conceal the buildings, gave out the plans of the terrorists.

    “A confirmatory ISR mission indicated that the structures were most likely a budding Command and Control facility, which could also house High Value Targets.

    “Accordingly, on July 3, the Air Component detailed 3 aircraft namely, 2 Alpha Jet and one F-7Ni aircraft, to conduct Air Interdiction strikes on the buildings in succession.

    “Subsequent Battle Damage Assessment revealed that the structures with the solar panels as well as other adjoining structures were damaged,” he said.

    Adesanya said further that suspected insurgents technical vehicle, which was attempting to make a run from the vicinity was struck by subsequent waves of attack.

  • Training: UK deploys 66 Air Force operatives in Nigeria

    The British Government on Thursday said it had deployed its Royal Air Force to Nigeria.

    The deployment, according to a statement made available to newsmen, was requested for by Nigeria’s Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.

    Abubakar stated that the request was necessary to forestall possible attacks on the country’s airbases.

    The British government stated that a 66-person Short Term Training Team from “No 5 Royal Air Force (RAF) Force Protection Wing was deployed from RAF Lossiemouth to Nigeria for a six-week period to train the Nigerian Air Force Regiment.”

    The detachment, the third undertaken by 5 Force Protection Wing in a five-year programme, comes after a request from Abubakar to assist in capacity building for the NAF Regiment.

    Abubakar said, “Given the importance of bases in the airpower delivery matrix, it is not inconceivable to expect our adversaries to target our airbases. As a matter of fact, we have had an attack on one of our airbases in the recent past, and current intelligence reports keep highlighting the possibility of attacks on our bases.

    Similarly, the Officer Commanding 5 Force Protection Wing, Commander John Rees, expressed the British government’s readiness to support Nigeria.

    “We are delighted to be here again and, as always, humbled by the warmth of the Nigerian welcome. We are proud of our Royal Air Force heritage and the opportunity to represent our service in the Defence Engagement arena,” Rees stated.

    The STTT is expected to deliver a training package which enables students to operate effectively in the Complex Air Ground Environment by understanding their role to provide security and Force Protection operations both inside and outside an air base.

  • NFD faults Air Force over silence on alleged alliance with politicians

    The National Forum for Democrats has described the silence of the Nigerian Air Force over the recent report of its unholy romance some politicians as unacceptable.

    Reports emerged recently that following their failed plan to use the Nigerian military to oust the current government, some politicians have now resorted to plan B.

    The report alleged that some politicians have reportedly bought willing Air Force officers to use attack aircrafts in attacking other services of the military.

    72 hours after the report hit the media, authorities of the NAF are yet to debunk or affirm the hearsay.

    Speaking at a press coñference on Monday, however, the National President of the group, Alhaji Gambo Danbatta said this statement became imperative following the failure of the NAF authority to react to the hearsay after almost 72 hours.

    Danbatta said silence may just as well mean acquiescence as an allegation of this magnitude is scarcely what one would ignore without setting the record straight.

    While condemning in strongest terms the alleged initial contact between the politicians and military officer and the reported PLAN B that is even more sinister and most irresponsible, the group’s leader said it is an evil plot to truncate Nigeria’s democracy which no sane person should have contemplated in the first instance let alone scouting for willing participant to collaborate on.

    He said, “We demand that the Nigerian Armed Forces carry out the necessary investigations to expose anti-democratic officers for the purpose of insulating our democracy against their adventure into the obscene. The Armed Forces must however go beyond identifying their officers involved in the plot as they must fish out the politicians that have been making the improper contacts and dishing out treasonable instructions to people that are engaged to keep the country safe from threats and aggression.

    “The international community, supranational organizations and regional bodies like ECOWAS are invited to note this development. They must not allow things to degenerate before wading in. Now is the time to call the coup plotters to order as Nigerians, in accordance with internationally recognized values, would not accept or recognize any change in government that does not conform with our grand norm, which is the Constitution (as amended).

    “We want to make it clear that any and make some serious warnings in that an friendly nation, supranational organizations and regional body that does not clearly warn coup plotters to keep off would be considered a collaboration nation that sanctioned the dismantling of our democracy. No nation on earth would tolerate what the coup plotters are up to so they cannot be silent with this going on in Nigeria.

    “Our suggestion is that the Federal Government should take the necessary steps to get the reassurances of its allies and the supranational organizations to which it belongs. “

  • Again, Air Force men attack UNIOSUN students

    For the second time in a week, men of Nigeria Air Force Institute of Safety, Ipetu Ijesa on Wednesday stormed the hostels of Osun State University (UNIOSUN) students in a fresh attack, assaulting and brutalising many of them.

    The latest attack which happen at the private hostels of the students located in the township of Ipetu Ijesa, culminated in students getting injured.

    The Air Force men had on Tuesday invaded the UNIOSUN campus, beating up students and lecturers.

    Speaking to journalists over the fresh attack, a 400-level student, who was one of the injured, identified as Francis Olajide Olanubi, said he was attacked with a machete by one the military men, who suddenly stormed their hostel.

    Meanwhile, the Dean, Students’ Affairs, UNIOSUN, Dr Adebimpe Adigun, confirmed the development, saying “They called to say that the Air Force men went to various hostels where our students live and started attacking them again. I was told that one of the students was macheted. He was taken to the school clinic for treatment.”

    However, fresh facts emerged over the cause of the attack when a credible source hinted that the genesis of the crisis was as a result of the detention and beating of one of the students, who was allegedly involved in Internet fraud, otherwise known as “yahoo yahoo”.

    The source, who pleaded anonymity, disclosed that “there are yahoo yahoo boys in our school and they usually settle men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) whenever they come. At times, they would call the policemen that they should come for the settlement.”

    “The SARS, came as usual on Tuesday but one of the yahoo boys ran away to the Air Force Institute to stay with his friends. He was accused by his friends of not contributing money to settle the Police before he ran away. His friends went to see him there and demanded that he should contribute his quota, but his Air Force friends told the boys to leave him alone.”

    “The guys asked the Air Force men to stay out of the matter. This infuriated the Air Force men, who descended on the boys. One of the boys was seriously beaten and detained by the military men,” he stated

  • Nigeria Air Force strikes Boko Haram new hideout in Borno

    The Nigerian Air Force yesterday said fighter jets struck Boko Haram new hideout about one nautical mile south of Tumbum Rego in northern Borno.

    A statement from Air Force spokesman, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa said NAF fighter jets and helicopter gunship assaulted the location in a coordinated day and night operation following Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR).

    He noted that the intelligence report showed that Boko Haram insurgents who attacked own Surface Forces at Kangarwa on the night of 12 January 2017 had withdrawn to the said location.

    He recalled that the NAF of recent has intensified aerial patrol over the entire operation in the Northeast, as well as offensive mission around the Green Belt region near Niger and Chad Republics.

    Famuyiwa said the renewed effort is aimed at denying the remnants of the insurgents the opportunity to regroup and launch attack on own surface forces or people within the host communities.