(NIGERIA) The Chief of Air Staff (NAF), Air Marshall Adesola Amosu, has called on all the personnel of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to brace up for a long war against the Boko Haram terrorists and their likes, saying that the counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations will continue.
Amosu stated this Saturday night during the Air Force end-of-year get-together 2014 at the NAF Conference and Suites, Kado, Abuja where outstanding officers and personnel of the service were rewarded.
He said even in areas where terrorism had been defeated, there are work to be done in form of mop-up operations.
Against the backdrop of changing scope of warfare and emerging security threats,
the air force chief disclosed that NAF authorities would introduce several administrative, operational and tactical changes to the service.
Accordingly, Amosu revealed that by February next year, the NAF Mission statement: “To ensure the integrity of the airspace by gaining and maintaining
control of the air while retaining a credible capacity to fulfill other air power tasks demanded by national defence and security imperatives,” would likely be changed to reflect the emerging security realities.
He also promised to improve the NAF Armament Department, transport and weapons delivery, and as well as surveillance and tactical capability.
He said: “The war against terrorism and insurgency is going to continue. This is because insurgency and terrorism don’t just go out in a day even when it seems to have died down... We may still need to embark on mop up operation.
“In fact I have said that the mission statement of NAF has to change and that may happen by February next year.
“I am also delighted about the armament department, its a serious department because NAF must be able to deliver weapons and effective in the area of Transport. Surveillance will continue to be relevant, we will also continue with strategic air lift and our tactical capability will continue to improve.”
“I want to thank all officers and men for wonderful support and followership. We don’t look for heroes, we look for team players and in Nigerian Air Force, we have team players. So we are here to celebrate excellence,” he added.
Also speaking, the Minister of Defence, Lt-Gen. Aliyu Gusau (rtd) commended the CAS and NAF for putting up a reward mechanism to encourage their officers and personnel who have excelled in various fields of the service.
Gusau, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Alhaji Ismaila Aliyu, said “recognition and reward is one vital tool of motivation.”
He also challenged the air force and other services to redouble their efforts to ensure that the current security are tackled successfully.
“Our nation is currently experiencing security challenges that demands commitment from our armed forces,” he said.
Concerning our quest to enhance our operational capability, Gusau note that no military can depend on borrowed technology.
He stressed that current event had accentuated the need for the force to be self-sufficient in weaponry.
“I must not fail to appreciate the works of air force personnel in the ongoing counter-terrorism in the North-east,” he stated.
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