Defence Minister commends NAF for its force structure to confront nation’s security challenge

Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

The Minister of Defence, Maj.  Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd) has commended the efforts of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in rejigging its force structure to address the widely dispersed challenges of the country, while at the same time, exploring local contents and resources to address equipment maintenance through research and development. 

Magashi gave the commendation during the graduation ceremony of 17 officers from the Air Force War College (Course 6) of the NAF held at the Officers' Mess, Makurdi, Benue State capital on Friday.

Represented by the Chief Of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, the Minister regretted that the country is currently experiencing different forms of internal security challenges such as terrorism, kidnapping, cattle rustling, armed banditry and other criminalities maintained that the military had to intervene in keeping internal security because of these challenges have had severe consequences on the human and material resources of the nation.

"Our security architecture has also been tested by rampant crimes of armed robbery, pipeline vandalism, crude-oil theft, militancy and ritual killings. These are coupled with the health challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"All these challenges have had severe consequences on human and material resources of the nation hence the inevitability of military involvement in the internal security. 

While positing that the changing nature of warfare has continued to pose new challenges to security forces, Magashi added that sub-conventional threats are on the rise creating a significantly more complex strategic environment, both at the global and regional levels.

"The nature of these challenges makes it necessary to be innovative and explore contemporary ways and means to tackle them. Invariably, doctrinal development, force structure, planning and equipment provisioning for asymmetric warfare has become much more challenging problems than what is obtainable in a conventional war."

He expressed joy at the innovative steps that the NAF has taken within the last few years in its effort to revitalize and boost its capacity to fulfill its mandate to defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity even as he
assured that the President Muhammadu Buhari led
Federal Government would continue to do its best to sustain the current support to the Armed Forces.

While congratulating the graduating participants for completing the training, the Defence Minister enjoined them to sustain the same attitude of focused and rugged determination as they continue with the next phase of their military careers. 

In a remark, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom who was represented by his deputy, Benson Abounu congratulated all the graduands and especially commended the best all round graduand and all others who have recieved awards.

Ortom thanked the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar for uplifting the NAF to world standard averring that he had done much better than very many other past heads of the NAF in uplifting the standard of the NAF even as he urged him to continue to do the good work for his fatherland. 

On his part, the Commandant, Air Vice Marshal Dalhak Ladan commended the performance of participants during the course and said the training was to change their level of thinking