Philip Nwosu
The Nigerian Air Force said it had successfully completed the in-house life extension programme on one of its C-130H aircraft, NAF 913, commonly called Period Depot Maintenance (PDM), thereby improving the airlift capability of the service.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar said this, while inspecting works on the C-130H that the service would continue to intensify efforts at reactivating unserviceable aircraft in its inventory to enhance its operational effectiveness.
The Air Force chief, while assessing the progress of work on the in-country Periodic Depot Maintenance (PDM) of another NAF’s C-130 aircraft at 631 Aircraft Maintenance Depot (ACMD) in Lagos noted that the reactivation of NAF 913 was another major feat recorded by the current NAF leadership to further improve NAF’s capability to provide logistics support across multiple theatres of operations.
He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for providing the enabling environment for NAF to raise the serviceability status of NAF operable aircraft from about 31 per cent in 2015 to an average of 80 per cent as at date.
Earlier, Commander at 631 ACMD, Air Commodore Moses Onilede, told Marshal Abubakar that the Depot had also successfully overhauled two C-130H aircraft engines, while the in-country Periodic Deport Maintenance (PDM) of the second C-130H, NAF 917, had reached an advanced stage.
The Chief of Air Staff also commissioned two newly-completed and furnished officers’ residential accommodation at Sam Ethnan Air Force Base, Ikeja, one of which is a block of 6 x 3 bedroom flats, which was named after late Air Commodore Emmanuel Akinbayo who died on 4 February 2018 while serving as Commander 553 Base Services Group (BSG), Enugu.
The wife of the late officer, Mrs. Oluranti Akinbayo, joined the CAS in unveiling the plaque of the building.
The second building is a block of 10 by one bedroom flats for single officers.
Air Marshal Abubakar, while speaking during the event, reiterated the commitment of the current present government towards meeting the welfare needs of personnel.
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He emphasised that no modern war could be effectively prosecuted without credible air power capability and this could not be achieved without effective logistics support.
He, therefore, urged personnel of Logistics Command to rededicate themselves to their constitutional roles and charged them to remain apolitical while exercising their legitimate rights to vote for the candidates of their choice.