The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar yesterday, 5 July 2017, joined the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Regiment personnel in training at the Regiment Training Centre (RTC) in Kaduna.
The personnel engaged in a bush exercise, specifically designed by the British Military Assistance Training Team (BMATT), to build the personnel’s capacity in Cordon and Search. The CAS undertook the visit in order to witness first hand, the extent of progress in training and in particular, the exercise, which involved the use of one of the NAF’s helicopters.
The CAS stated that the exercise was part of the capacity building initiative of the NAF towards further ensuring the base protection as a means of protecting the NAF’s air assets.
He added, “Our base in Maiduguri was once attacked, we are taking steps to ensure it never happens again”. He further stated that the end state was the security of Nigeria and Nigerians, a task which the NAF was devoted to carrying out. He then expressed satisfaction with the performance of the personnel during the exercise.
In his remarks, the head of the BMATT stated that he was impressed with the rate of assimilation of the NAF personnel and added that the capacity of NAF Regiment personnel for base defence had improved tremendously.
At the end of the Bush exercise, Air Marshal Abubakar had lunch with all the trainees of the RTC, an act that boosted their morale. While at the RTC, the CAS decorated Sergeant Laku Ibrahim and Lance Corporal Yakubu Zachariah with their new higher ranks of flight sergeant and corporal respectively.
The two airmen had since been promoted for their gallantry while participating in the counterinsurgency operations in the North East but they could not be decorated earlier, as they were indisposed. In his address, the CAS stated that the NAF would not relent in its efforts at rewarding excellence, commitment and dedication to duty.
He, therefore, urged all the trainees to remain focused as they were critical to the security of Nigeria and Nigerians. He then expressed his appreciation to the BMATT for their partnership with the NAF, which resulted in the training of the NAF personnel. The CAS had since returned to Abuja for other official engagements.
