PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has said his administration got 23 brand new aircraft for the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to boost its fight against insecurity in the last five years.
President Buhari spoke on Thursday at the induction and commissioning of newly acquired NAF MI-171E helicopter and two reactivated Alpha jets and one L39ZA aircraft in Kaduna.
The President, who commissioned the aircraft virtually, said his administration would continue to support the Air Force and the entire Armed Forces to enable them become more effective in the execution of their mandate for the safety and security of Nigeria and Nigerians.
He said: “Today’s induction brings to 23 the number of brand new aircraft that have been added to the inventory of the Nigerian Air Force since we came on board in 2015 and is a clear reflection of our unflinching commitment to ensuring the security of Nigeria and Nigerians.
“These 23 new aircraft are aside the 15 additional aircraft, including 12 Super Tucano aircraft from the United States of America and three JF-17 Thunder Multi-Role fighter aircraft from Pakistan that have been procured and will soon be delivered.”
President Buhari said these achievements are aside the support towards reactivating over 25 erstwhile unserviceable aircraft “significantly boosting the capacity of the NAF to deliver robust air power in support of our counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency efforts”.
The President said he had released two Agusta 101 helicopters from the Presidential Air Fleet to the NAF to improve its tactical capability.
He reiterated the promise of his administration to remain committed to confronting the Boko Haram insurgency as well as other forms of criminality that have bedevilled the country.
President Buhari hailed the security forces for the successes they have recorded so far, especially by restoring “some level of stability not only in Borno and Yobe states but also in Adamawa State.
“Consequently, I want to sincerely thank Nigerians for believing in us and coming together as a nation, irrespective of political, religious and ethnic affiliations, to bring this scourge to an end,” he said.
President Buhari acknowledged the critical role the NAF has been playing in national and continental security and peace-keeping operations since its establishment in 1964.
“Her contributions in internal security, peace-keeping and humanitarian operations in places like The Gambia, Guinea Conakry, Mozambique, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali, Guinea Bissau and Cameroon have not only been a source of pride to us as a nation but has also projected us as a reliable regional power that has helped to stabilise other nations and stood firm in defence of democracy,” he added.
