The Senator representing Kaduna North District, Suleman Abdu Kwari, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar, for initiating the process that led to the recent acquisition of A-29 Super Tucano aircraft by the federal government.
He also described the presidential support and approval of the process as a milestone for Nigeria.
The lawmaker also urged the current Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao, to invest in drones and ensure that the war aircraft has been utilised to serve its purpose of tackling the insurgency and banditry afflicting Nigeria for nearly a decade. He explained that investing in drones would be in tune with strategic modern warfare and especially complimentary to Nigeria’s renewed effort to fight insurgency.
Kwari, who is also the Chairman Senate Committee on anti-corruption, noted that the Tucano aircraft was a major breakthrough in Nigeria’s war against insurgency, banditry and allied crimes in both the rural and urban areas of the nation.
The lawmaker recalled that the former Chief of Air Staff, Sadiq Abubakar, at the inauguration of officers accommodation and a 1.3km road at Kainji NAF Base revealed that the plan by Nigeria to acquire the fighter aircraft had been concluded.
The senator also reiterated his call on citizens, especially those in insurgency and banditry beleaguered areas to step up efforts on intelligence information sharing with security agencies.
The lawmaker, who is also a member of the Senate committee on Army, also expressed appreciation over the determination of Senate leadership to discharge its legislative duties in order to give the much-needed support to give its best shot to the fight against insurgency, banditry and allied crimes in Nigeria.
Former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, had reportedly announced that arrangements have reached advanced stage to receive the Tucanor warplane in second quarter of this year.
Air Marshal Sadiq had earlier commissioned one of the three Alpha Jet Aircrafts programmed for periodic depot maintenance and rehabilitated 2.8km road infrastructure at the NAF in Kainji, Niger state.
