The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has called on troops deployed to fight against banditry and kidnapping in the North Central and North West, to continue to do everything possible not to give breathing space to bandits.
Abubakar gave the directive on Thursday when he paid operational visit to the 213 Forward Operating Base, Katsina, where he addressed NAF Special Forces.
He was earlier briefed by the Air Officer commanding Special Operations of the Nigerian Air Force, AVM Charles Ohwo, on the operations.
“I appreciate your efforts, but I urge you to give no breathing space to bandits.
“Locate the bandits, identify their locations and ensure that they do not attack people.
“Do everything humanly possible and ensure that Nigerians conduct their legal activities without hindrance,” he said.
Abubakar further urged the officers and men of the Nigerian Air Force to ensure that farmers go to their farms during this rainy season.
“Do not allow bandits to interfere with farming processes,” he said.
He advised the bandits to surrender themselves and their weapons for their own good.
Abubakar said that the Nigeria Air Force has deployed 500 Special Forces to fight against banditry, kidnapping and other forms of crimes in the North central and North west zones of the country.
He said that NAF would continue to deploy serviceable aircrafts, surveillance aircrafts, gunship helicopters and aviation fuel to enable the air officers and men effectively fight the criminal elements.
Abubakar further said that the NAF has recorded 82 per cent success on serviceable operations of its aircrafts despite COVID-19 pandemic.
He therefore urged Nigerians to have confidence in NAF and give them intelligence information that would assist to achieve success in the fight against criminals.
“Security is not only a military affair, but is for all and sundry. Give intelligence information to NAF, Nigerian Army, police and other security agents about activities of bandits and other criminals.
“We will continue to work together with Nigerian Army and other security agencies to fight insurgency,” he said.
Earlier, the Air Officer Commanding Special Operations Command, AVM Charles Ohwo, spoke at length on their operations in the North Central and North West zones of the country.
He told the Chief of Air Staff that Operation Gama Aiki, Operation Thunder Strike and Operation Hadarin Daji, were introduced to tackle insurgency in those parts of the country.
Ohwo said that the NAF aircrafts involved in the operations so far covered about 1,400 flying hours covering areas in Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto States.
He said that the major challenges they were encountering are poor whether conditions and lack of hanger space.(NAN)