BY Philip Nwosu
The Nigerian Air Force yesterday immortalised an officer who died fighting insurgents in the North eastern part of the country.
The officer, Squadron Leader Promise Gbenekane, a C-130 pilot, died delivering logistics materials to troops in Borno and Adamawa area.
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, while naming a block of six flats after the slain officer, said the victim died working to keep the country together.
Abubakar said the new building was constructed as part of the force’s infrastructural renewal programme, noting that it would serve as transit accommodation for officers.
He said providing decent housing for officers, airmen and airwomen remains one of the priorities of the NAF.
The chief of air staff commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his continued support to the Armed Forces, particularly the NAF, which, he noted, recently received new platforms to carry out its constitutional roles.
He said the new platforms received from the government have enhanced the ability of the force to conduct counter-insurgency operations and also contend with other emerging security challenges across the country.
Air Marshal Abubakar gave assurance that the force would continue to meet its statutory responsibility of defending the territorial integrity of the nation, whether acting singly or jointly.
He said while the government continues to provide support to sustain the tempo of military operations against the Boko Haram insurgents and terrorists, the effort of the force must be sustained to reposition the NAF into a highly professional force for effective deployment of air power.
On the honour for the fallen NAF officer, he said: “The project being commissioned today has been named after one of our fallen heroes who died on board the C-130 aircraft while on a logistics supports mission for troops fighting insurgency and terrorism in the North east of the country.
“The fallen hero was a C-130 pilot: Squadron Leader Promise Leton Gbenekanu. We must acknowledge that the human being is the most important in every organisation and equipping the personnel appropriately is central to the achievement of success in securing the Nigeria’s air space.”
Earlier, the Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Yahaya, commended the air force leadership for the construction of the building, explaining that the building was in dilapidated state before it was pulled down for fresh construction
He said with the support of the Chief of Air Staff, the personnel of the unit are now better equipped to perform their duties.