Operation Diran Mikiya:
Operation Diran Mikiya: NAF Deploys Air Assets, Special
Forces Personnel to Sokoto
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) today, 19 January 2019, deployed a
fighter aircraft, along with support equipment, and a detachment of
Special Forces (SF) personnel to Sokoto to further boost
anti-banditry operations in the Northwest of the Country under
Operation DIRAN MIKIYA. The deployment is aimed at adding value to
the efforts to deal with the spate of insecurity in some parts of
Sokoto State and the border areas between Zamfara and Sokoto
States.
Receiving the air assets, pilots and SF personnel, the Air
Officer Commanding Tactical Air Command (AOC TAC), Air Vice Marshal
Oladayo Amao, charged them to exhibit the highest sense of
professionalism as they go about their task of securing communities
whilst ensuring they deal decisive blows on the armed bandits. Also
present to receive the personnel and equipment were the Commander
Air Task Force Operation DIRAN MIKIYA, Air Commodore Ayoola
Jolasinmi, and the Commander 119 Forward Operating Base (119 FOB),
Air Commodore Jibrin Usman.
It may be recalled that, following an assessment visit to NAF
units in Katsina, Zamafara and Sokoto States on 26 December 2018,
the CAS had stated that facilities at the Sultan Abubakar III
Airport would be upgraded to facilitate the deployment of NAF
platforms and equipment to enable the conduct air operations from
the Airport, for enhanced NAF response capability in support of the
anti-banditry operations in the area.
IBIKUNLE DARAMOLA
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
Nigerian Air Force