By Armstrong Allahmaagani (BAUCHI) –
The Nigerian Air Force said at the weekend it had trained 171 Special Forces for deployment to troubled areas across the country to help to combatting insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other crimes.
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao, who stated this at the graduation ceremony of 171 Special Forces Course 9/2021, held on Friday at the Special Operations Command Bauchi.
He said that upon his assumption in office as the Chief of the Air Staff, he crafted his vision “to enhance and sustain critical airpower capabilities required for joint force employment in pursuit of national security imperatives”.
He added that one of the key drivers of this vision is “purposeful training and human capacity development”.
“Accordingly, we have sustained the drive to ensure that our personnel are well trained both at home and overseas.
“In line with this, today; 171 special operatives shall be graduating. These personnel will subsequently be deployed to our various theatres for force protection, personnel recovery and other direct-action tasks as required for the projection of airpower as required by operational exigencies.”
Amao stated that the successes recorded by its personnel in the fight against insurgency, banditry and other crimes across the country have made their bases and air assets significant targets for attacks by these insurgents.
He declared however, that such attacks will not undermine its efforts to fight the enemy.
The CAS expressed optimism that the graduating students have imbibed the basic skills and techniques required to conduct special operations pursuant to achieving the operational objectives of the Nigerian Air Force.
According to him, these operations are critical, given the asymmetric security threats facing the country today which requires intervention from the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the Nigerian Air Force by extension.
He said: “Our successes in shaping the battlespace and neutralizing adversary capabilities have resulted in greatly degrading operational capacity of bandits and insurgents in different operational theatres.
“Indeed, our ability to respond immediately have been key to quelling various hostile attacks on the civil populace. Accordingly, our ability to conduct air operations without hostile inference provides a foundation for our successes.
“Our successes however have rendered our bases, personnel and other air assets as significant targets for insurgent attacks. Such attacks would not only undermine our efforts to fight as a Service but also affect our capacity to contribute effectively to joint operations.
“As such the NAF requires well trained and motivated Special Forces to adequately protect its assets while carrying out other tasks in line with our operational exigencies.”
He urged the graduating students of Special Forces course 9/2021, to exhibit what they have learnt during the course whenever and wherever duty calls.
“This call will require you to exhibit courage, commitment and loyalty in the discharge of your duties. Once deployed, you are implored to treat the local populace with utmost respect as your task is to protect them from hostile threat.
“I know that military operations are normally clouded by a fog, making it difficult to discern the best course of action. In such situations, let our core values of ‘Integrity First, Service before self and Excellence in all we do’ guide you towards the best course of action and you will surely succeed,” he admonished.
The Air Officer Commanding, Ground Training Command, Air Vice Marshal Frank Oparah, in his welcome address, said 342 NAF personnels were screened for the Special Forces Course 9, 2021 (SF9/2021), but only 197 were inaugurated to start the course.
He added that at the end of the training, only 171 personnel comprising 3 officers, 167 airmen and one airwoman graduated indicating a success rate of about 48 per cent.
Oparah said that Special Forces operations are characterized by speed, precision and destabilizing shock effects and perseverance hence require forces specially selected to ensure the attainment of desired outcomes.
“These types of operations are even more important now considering that present threats to our national security are from non-state actors waging terrorist and insurgent campaigns against the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“As such these newly bred operatives would be employed as part of our offensive to ensure normalcy and calm are restored to restive communities within Nigeria,” he said.
Oparah assured that the Ground Training Command remains resolute in ensuring qualitative training particularly as special operations forces are concerned so as to have the best in the fight against insurgency and banditry.