•Commissions Katsina Operational Base
From Molly Kilete, Abuja, Agaju Madugba, Katsina
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), yesterday, said it had deployed two of its fighter jets to Taraba and Kaduna states to restore peace and and order.
This is coming just as it announced the establishment of a new Forward Operating Base (FOB) at Kafanchan, Kaduna State to stop the incessant violence in Southern Kaduna. The deployment of the fighter jets followed the communal clash between Fulani cattle rearers and farmers that has been ravaging the states for sometime now.
NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Adetokunbo Adesanya, said the helicopters which had already commenced armed reconnaissance missions within the Mambilla Plateau and its environs, was aimed at stopping the warring communities from further engaging in violent activities.
He said the fighter jets would also give support to ground forces in the effort to maintain peace in the area.
Adesanya, in a statement, said a NAF helicopter which would soon be deployed to Kafanchan, Kaduna State in support of the ground forces already working to maintain peace in the area, will be operating from the new Forward Operating Base being established in Kafanchan, as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to ensure lasting peace in Southern Kaduna State.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar, yesterday commissioned a Nigeria Air Force (NAF) 213 Operational Base in Katsina town.
With the development, according to the CAS, the NAF is set to promote security in the North-West geo-political zone, especially in the area of tackling the rampant cases of cattle rustling, kidnapping and other security challenges.
Abubakar also commissioned a Quick Response Unit (QRU) as well as a block of four classrooms for the NAF in Daura, hometown of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“NAF’s presence in the zone will help shorten response time to security situation,” he said. He assured that similar units will become operational in other states, in due course.
“The Quick Response Unit is to ensure we tackle security threats in the North-West and we will also respond to civil authority whenever called to do so,” Abubakar said.