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Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar has stated that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is making progress in terms of building the capacity of its officers so that they can be very effective whenever they are deployed to any theatre of operation.
He stated this at the weekend during the combine air range exercise and graduation ceremony of 405 HCTG and 407 ACTG Tactical Helicopter and Fighter Courses held in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
Thirteen pilots comprising five Agusta 109EM helicopter pilots and eight Alpha Jet pilots who successfully completed their tactical/combat training graduated at the event which was attended by top echelon of the NAF as well as other military and paramilitary agencies.
The CAS who spoke with newsmen shortly after the Air Range exercise stated that it was the first time the NAF is training helicopter combat pilots locally in line with his vision “To reposition the NAF into a highly professional and disciplined force through capacity building initiatives for effective, efficient and timely employment of air power in response to Nigeria’s national security imperatives”.
“For the first time, we are training helicopter combat pilots in Nigeria. We conducted a course in Enugu and this is supposed to be the final phase of that course. With this range classification exercise, they are now qualified as helicopter combat pilots.
“Similarly for the Alpha Jets, we have trained four in Nigeria and we have trained four others with the support of the Egyptian Air Force. So, we have eight of them.
“What they have done this afternoon is just like a conclusion of that training which is the range classification exercise and from what we have seen, I think we have every reason to be excited that we are making progress in terms of building the capacity of our officer so that they can be very effective whenever they are deployed to any theatre of operation,” the CAS stated.
Also speaking during the graduation ceremony, the Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Air Training Command, AVM MZ Suleiman
Explained that the five Agusta 109EM helicopter pilots were trained at 405 Helicopter Combat Training Group Enugu while four of the eight graduating Alpha Jet pilots were trained in 407 Air Combat Training Group Kainji.
The AOC who added that the other four Alpha Jet pilots were trained with the Egyptian Air Force commended the CAS for the achievements which he noted, were made possible due to his unwavering support, encouragements, and commitment.
“The Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Sardique Baba Abubakar (Distinguished Flying Star) provided the enabling environment for the Air Training Command to superintend over the respective trainings in its flying training schools.
“The necessary logistic and administrative support were provided to the Command in a timely manner which ensured smooth and unhindered progress in the flying training activities and indeed other activities of the Air Training Command,” Suleiman noted.
Some of the newly graduated pilots including Squadron Leader (SL) Kelechi Wamba and Flying Officer (FO) Ahmed Galadenci described their experience as very interesting and worth the while adding that they trained under very good instructors both locally and internationally.
The CAS and other top NAF officers watched in admiration as the new pilots tactically deployed the Agusta 109E Military Helicopter and the Alpha Jet for the shooting exercise at the Kwenev Air Range in Guma Local government area of Benue State.
