The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, says the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) has continued to embark on a wide range of intensive air operations across operational theatres in the country with varying degree of success.
Abubakar said this on Wednesday in Abuja, while briefing members of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Air Force, who paid an oversight visit to the NAF Headquarters.
He said the nation’s current security environment had remained fluid, dynamic and unpredictable.
According to him, while terrorists’ activities in the northeast and northwest have declined, “we have in recent times witnessed an escalation in the rate and frequency of kidnapping and hostage-taking by these same criminals in the region.”
The CAS said the recent coordinated spate of kidnapping of more than 200 school children in Kaduna, 15 in Sokoto and several others in Borno were clear pointers.
He noted that the threats posed by secessionists and oil thieves in the southeast and south-south regions, though on the decline, had also been a source of concern.
These situations, according to him, have been exacerbated as more Nigerians slip into poverty, occasioned by lack of jobs amid high cost of living, causing some to turn to crime.
“In spite of these challenges, the NAF has continued to embark on a wide range of intensive air operations.
“These include Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance, Air Interdiction and Armed Reconnaissance across operational theatres in the country, with varying degrees of success.
“These successes were made possible by the unwavering support of President Bola Tinubu, as evident in the recent acquisition and induction of various platforms with the most recent being the induction of 2 x T-129 ATAK Helicopters,” he said.
Abubakar said the NAF was currently faced with the major challenge of the high cost of aviation fuel, adding that the price of Jet A-1 had risen to almost N1,200 per litre as against the budgeted N360 per litre.
Other challenges, he said, included the need to enhance NAF’s tactical airlift capability to support both land and maritime forces in various theatres of operations as well as disaster relief efforts in remote areas.
The air chief said there was the need for air operations command and control infrastructure as well as enhanced air defence and airspace surveillance capabilities, among others.
In his response, Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Air Force, Kabiru Rurum, said the visit was in line with the provisions of sections 88 & 62 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
Rurum said the visit was also in line with Order 20 (B) 13 of the Standing Orders of the 10th House of Representatives, aimed at nurturing a robust relationship between the NASS and the NAF.
He explained that the committee was a beacon of support and intervention in matters concerning budget allocation and implementation, policy amendments and public perception.
“We also stand in matters of transparency and community engagement which are brought to the forefront for discussion, understanding and possible legislative action,” he said.
He added that both parties could collectively explore avenues to strengthen NAF’s operational capacity through an open channel of communication and collaboration as well as understanding the current status and challenges faced by the service.