Minna
The Chief of Air Staff (CoAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar said efforts by the Nigerian Airforce military to end activities of terrorists was yielding positive, indicating that destruction of lives and property would soon come to an end in Nigeria.
Abubarkar gave the assurance while speaking with journalists shortly after he paid courtesy visit to Governor Abubakar Sani Bello at the Government House in Minna.
In realising the objective,he said the Air Force was working closely with other security agencies, on Presidential directive, to ensure that banditry and all forms of security threats is brought under control in the country.
The Chief of Air force directed the Air Force medical team to treat victims of attacks by bandits taking refuge in various camps across the state to alleviate the health challenges of the about 10, 000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
Abubarkar said he was on a one-day working visit to access the progress of air operations against bandits, as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari in January.
He ordered the immediate deployment of additional helicopters and personnel to support ground troops in the area.
He said: “I am here to access what we are doing, in terms of Air operation, to support the ground troops to ensure that the challenges we are facing in Niger state and other parts of the country are addressed.”
“I have taken the assessment of the progress so far, and seen that we have enough logistics.
“We also have enough aviation fuel brought from our strategic reserves, in the next few days, we will deploy more helicopters to give more supports to the ground troops.”
The Air Force Chief, who said he had inspected the Airforce barracks,to deploy more personnel to boost existing troops.
He expressed optimism that “with the additional personnel to support the ground troops, we should be able to substantially reduce their activities.”
Abubakar, who expressed concern over the plight of the over 10, 000 IDPs in the state, Abubarkar said, “We are coming to reach for the IDPs, to give them what they require in terms of medicals.
” Our medical team will be in Minna before the end of the week to carry out free treatment.”
He assured that the war against the bandits would soon be won as well, maintaining that the Air Force was working with other security agents to make it extremely difficult for the bandits to continue killing innocent Nigerians.
The Governor had earlier told the Chief of Air Staff that the last three months had been very challenging for the government and the people of Niger state, following the activities of bandits.
He assured of his administrations’ preparedness to play its part with the necessary support to bring the problem to an end.
The governor commended the Nigerian Air Force for its committeement the in the fight against the armed bandits in the state.
Bello noted that, “The Nigerian Nigerian Force has been of tremendous support to the state toward this fight against the bandits, we thank them for that.”
