The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar on Wednesday reflected on the huge security responsibility placed on members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria by all Nigerians and warned that Nigerian Air Force personnel can’t afford to let Nigerians down.
‘So much is expected of us by the Nigerian people in ensuring we clear all areas of criminals and their tendencies. Therefore, we cannot afford to let Nigerians down.’ Air Marshal Abubakar told the largest gathering in recent times of NAF commanders.
The gathering made up of NAF branch heads, directors, commandants, commanders as well as air component commanders from across the country were to take a critical look at the ongoing counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations.
After 14 years of insurgency and unabated criminalities, Nigerians are earnestly craving for solution and are looking up to the Nigerian Armed Forces which NAF is a major component of providing safety and well-being.
Air Marshal Abubakar also called on the commanders to use the period of the meeting to evolve strategies to improve NAF operations as well as enhance its logistics support systems and maintenance practices, while ensuring the serviceability of air assets for optimal employment of airpower capabilities in joint operations.
Speaking further, CAS stated that the NAF has started taking delivery of additional air assets purchased by the Federal Government as only recently, it received the 2 remaining Diamond-62 Multi-Purpose Platforms at a ceremony held in Ilorin, Kwara State. He went on to state that the NAF will, in no distant time, be inducting other new platforms acquired for the Service.
When inducted, the Abubakar noted, these additional aircraft would surely add considerable impetus to NAF operations in dealing with insurgents, terrorists, and other criminal elements plaguing our Nation. He then placed on record his sincere appreciation to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his continued support in attending to the operational, training, and welfare needs of the Service.
He also assured the President and indeed all Nigerians of NAF’s unwavering commitment to continually work wholeheartedly, in concert with other security agencies, towards achieving the mandate of ensuring a safe, secured, united, and prosperous Nation.
Earlier, the Chief of Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal Sayo Olatunde, reminded the senior officers of the need for them to continue to see themselves not just as commanders or commandants but also as leaders, managers, and mentors to their subordinates.
According to him, ‘Command confers on you the authority and responsibility to effectively utilize available resources and to plan, organize, direct, coordinate and control your forces for the accomplishment of assigned tasks.
It also means you are responsible for the health, welfare, morale, and discipline of your personnel.’ He went on to remind them of the need to continue influencing their personnel by providing purpose, direction, and motivation with a view to accomplishing the assigned mission and improving the Service.
Air Vice Marshal Olatunde urged them to approach the meeting with a critical thinking mind and readiness to unlearn whatever they had learned in the past to enable them to take in new ideas that would enhance their capacity in command responsibility.
The 2-day meeting entails lectures on unit administration, command responsibilities, CAS command philosophy, and a review of ongoing counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations.