The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao has charged newly graduated recruits of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Basic Military Training Course 41/2020 to be innovative and subordinate their personal interests to the Service and the nation.
According to a statement by NAF spokesperson Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet on Friday, Amao stated this while serving as the reviewing officer at the Passing Out Parade (POP) of 1,031 trainees which took place at the Military Training Centre (MTC), NAF Base, Kaduna.
Air Marshal Amao noted that the occasion was another testimony of the commitment of the NAF to operate a professional Service properly structured, appropriately manned and adequately trained to provide security to Nigeria and the Nigerian people.
According to the CAS, the graduation of yet another batch of recruits is in consonance with NAF’s overall strategy of mitigating the challenges of insecurity in the Country.
He reminded them of the need to respect and protect the innocent and law-abiding civilians whom they are paid to defend.
“Treat them with respect and protect their rights. It is by so doing that you will be discharging your professional and constitutional duties”, he said.
Air Marshal Amao charged them to submit themselves to civil authority in accordance with democratic tenets and should not allow themselves to be used by any subversive element in the society to compromise national security.
The CAS assured Nigerians that the NAF in consonance with other members of the Armed Forces and security agencies would continue to do all it takes to ensure that the security challenges in the country are speedily brought to an end.
He disclosed that the NAF was expecting 8 aircraft in July 2021, comprising 6 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft from the United States of America and 2 Wing Loong Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAV) from China. The remaining 6 A-29 Super Tucano, he said, would arrive in September while 2 CH-3 and 4 CH-4 UCAV would arrive the country before the end of 2021.
These additional aircraft, he said, would no doubt boost air power employment capabilities in support of joint operations and would be a game changer in various theatre of operations.
