The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, has warned bandits operating in the country to embrace peace and hand themselves over or be ready for the consequences.
Abubakar gave the warning during operational visit and strategic meeting with instructor pilots at NAF Base Kaduna on Wednesday.
“It’s either they stop killing innocent citizens and hand themselves over, or we deal with them in such a way that there will not be someone to kill anybody again,” he added.
The Air Chief restated his commitment to synergizing with other security agencies with a view to containing security challenges across the country.
He explained that the meeting was to appraise the level of support of the force to the war against criminal elements in the North-West and North-Central, operational challenges and new strategies to eliminate the bandits.
The Air Chief said the meeting would also assess the air interdiction missions that the force is conducting to soften the ground sufficiently for ground operation troops to move with little or no challenges.
He said that the NAF would continue to support ground troops, not only in Katsina and Zamfara, but also in Kaduna and Niger States to ensure total success of the operation.
“I have been briefed of the support the Air force is giving.I have asked them to identify challenges that need to be addressed.
“So that we will be more effective in ensuring that we give all the support the ground troops require to ensure that we eliminate this problem once and for all.
“Our farmers need to go back to their farms and farm,” he stressed.
Abubakar expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far, adding that he had identified a couple of areas where the force would improve upon for effective service delivery.
He commended frontline troops for their doggedness in the fight against banditry and terrorism, and pledged the continued support and cooperation of the force in their operations.
Abubakar appealed to the public to provide useful information to the force that would ensure the success of its operations.
The General Officer, Commanding 1 Division Nigeria Army, was part of the strategic meeting. (NAN)
