In furtherance of efforts towards ensuring the well-being of personnel in the forefront of prosecuting the war against banditry in the Northwestern part of Nigeria, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) today, 11 June 2020, commissioned a new block of 6 x one-bedroom Single Officers’ Quarters and a renovated/remodeled Medical Centre at the 271 NAF Detachment (271 NAF Det), Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State. Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who was represented by the NAF Chief of Logistics, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Mohammed Yakubu, stated that the NAF, in performance of its constitutional roles, has not only continued to evolve strategies for projecting Air Power more efficiently to effectively deal with prevalent security threats, but also given priority attention to the welfare needs of its personnel, thereby motivating them for enhanced professional performance.

Air Marshal Abubakar noted that the 271 NAF Det, since its establishment in 2018, has continued to play a critical role in dealing with the security challenges bedeviling communities within its area of responsibility, working in concert with sister Services and other security agencies. This, he said, underscored the need for the emplacement of facilities that would ensure that personnel of the Unit are in the right frame of mind to continue to be effective in the performance of their duties. He disclosed that the expansion of facilities in the Unit would also enable the NAF to deploy additional personnel to boost security in the area. He therefore urged the personnel to utilize the facilities with a high sense of responsibility.

Speaking further, the CAS noted that the NAF’s air offensive in ongoing internal security campaigns in Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger and Katsina States, amongst others, had continued to add value to the current efforts at addressing insecurity issues in the North West and North Central Zones of the Country. He however emphasized that a lot more needed to be done to ensure that people in all the affected communities are able to go about their normal lives without fear. He therefore urged the personnel to continue to work assiduously to rid the Country of banditry, terrorism and militancy, whist embracing the highest levels of professionalism and regimentation in their daily conduct. While thanking the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari, for his support to the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), and the NAF, in particular, towards the achievement of critical Air Power goals, the CAS assured all Nigerians that the NAF was more than ever committed to ensuring a safer and more secured Nigeria.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Air Officer Commanding Special Operations Command (AOC SOC), AVM Charles Ohwo, while appreciating the CAS for his relentless support to the SOC, assured that personnel of the Command and 271 NAF Det would remain committed to the total defeat of insurgency and banditry. He said the high premium placed on personnel welfare and capacity development by the current NAF leadership would undoubtedly lead to improved proficiency in mission accomplishment.

Also present at the commissioning ceremony were the Air Officer Commanding Air Training Command, Director of Services Headquarters NAF as well as other senior NAF officers.