Defence Minister Commends
Defence Minister Commends NAF for Training 3,143 Special
Forces
The Honourable Minister of Defence (HMOD), Major General Bashir
Salihi Magashi (retired) has commended the leadership of the
Nigerian Air Force (NAF), led by the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS),
Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, for its capacity building initiatives
and infrastructural development efforts towards improving the
living standards of personnel for enhanced professional
performance.
“I believe that the achievements recorded by the NAF are results
of your intensive efforts towards repositioning the Service to
adequately respond to Nigeria’s security imperatives. I must say
that we are proud of you and we urge you not to relent in your
efforts”, the HMOD said.
This commendation was made today, 29 November 2019, during the
combined graduation ceremony of 162 personnel from Special Forces
(SF) Course 5/2019 and 46 from the Helicopter Backdoor Gunners
(HBDG) Course 5/2019 at the Regiment Training Centre (RTC) Annex in
Bauchi State. The HMOD also specially applauded the NAF for
training 10 Nigeria Police Force (NPF) officers alongside NAF
personnel as HBDGs. According to him, “this singular act, not only
promotes inter-Service cooperation but will go a long way in
substantiating the fact that no Service can single-handedly
prosecute a war or conduct an operation without the support of the
other”.
Speaking further, Major General Magashi, who was the Special
Guest of Honour (SGOH) at the occasion, added that the efforts of
the NAF in building capacity of personnel, were obviously yielding
desired results. According to him, this could not have come at a
better time as the country was experiencing security challenges
that were increasingly requiring the intervention of the Armed
Forces of Nigeria (AFN).
“Countering these threats, which are synonymous to asymmetric
warfare methods, requires a different approach including the use of
Special Operations Forces”, he added. He therefore commended the
NAF’s efforts at rapidly developing special operations capabilities
to a strength of over 1,000 SF personnel, deployed in various
theatres of operation within the country.
While expressing delight with the display exhibited by the
graduating personnel, the HMOD equally lauded the proactive steps
taken by the NAF in protecting its helicopters from flank attacks
during internal security operations with the training of the HBDGs.
He urged the graduands to use their newly acquired skills to attain
the operational objectives of their respective Services in future
deployments.
He also enjoined them to continue improving their proficiency in
their respective areas of expertise as they play their part towards
ensuring a safer and more secure Nigeria. The HMOD stated that the
Ministry, on its part, would continue to make concerted efforts to
ensure that the AFN is well equipped with modern equipment to
effectively carry out its constitutional roles.
Earlier in his remarks, the CAS recounted how, upon assumption
of office, he realized the capability gap in SF operations which
necessitated the expansion of the NAF Regiment Speciality,
scaling-up of SF training as well as the establishment of Quick
Response Units across Nigeria for rapid response and deployment of
air assets during crises. He noted furthermore that, in its quest
to look inwards for the purpose of minimizing the cost of training,
the NAF had made efforts to localize the training of SF and HBDG
personnel using its own personnel. He said this was achieved
through collaboration with the British Military Advisory Training
Team (BMATT) and an Israeli Firm, the Four Troops Company, for
initial in-country training of SF personnel as well as the eventual
training of SF instructors.
Air Marshal Abubakar noted that, so far, the NAF had trained a
total of 3,143 personnel on Force Protection in Complex
Air-to-Ground Environment (FPCAGE) and 778 SF personnel,
in-country. Out of these numbers, he explained that a total of 330
SF and 950 FPCAGE personnel were trained solely by the NAF’s SF
Instructors. These efforts, he said, were in line with one of the
key drivers of his Vision, which focusses on “robust and result
oriented training for enhanced professional performance”. The CAS
stated furthermore that, in order to reduce the pressure on
training facilities at the RTC Main Campus in Kaduna, the Service
decided to create an RTC Annex at Bauchi. According to him, the
objective is to ensure that personnel train in a realistic
North-East environment which is currently the hot bed of security
challenges.
Speaking further, the CAS noted that the NAF has once again
demonstrated the importance of synergy in training, with the
involvement of 10 personnel of the NPF on the course. “It is
believed that other sister security agencies would key in to this
arrangement in the future”, he added. While pledging the unwavering
dedication of the Service towards ensuring the security of Nigeria
and Nigerians, Air Marshal Abubakar seized the opportunity to thank
the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria,
President Muhammadu Buhari, for his untiring support for the NAF.
“The commitment displayed by the current administration towards
increasing the Air Power capabilities of the NAF through the
acquisition of platforms is being paid back by personnel with
enhanced professionalism on our part”, he added. He equally thanked
the National Assembly, especially the Chairmen and members of the
Senate and House Committees on Air Force, as well as the Government
and people of Bauchi State for their continued support to the
Service.
In his welcome address, the Air Officer Commanding Ground
Training Command (AOC GTC), Air Vice Marshal Idi Amin, while
commending the CAS for emplacing the necessary facilities for
effective training such as the Commando Village, four new blocks of
accommodation with a capacity of housing 240 students as well as
the ongoing construction of an obstacle course and rappelling
tower, highlighted that a significant aspect of the graduation was
the joint training of NPF and NAF personnel as HBDGs, which, he
said, was in line with a key driver of the CAS’ vision which
focusses on “comradeship, regimentation and inter-Service
cooperation”.
The occasion featured tactical demonstrations by the graduating
students at the NAF Commando Village. This included unarmed combat
display, using the “Krav Maga” technique, as well as an air-ground
assault simulation exercise, which involved engagement of an enemy
location by an HBDG and rappelling of SF personnel into a hostile
environment to flush out bandits from their camp. Awards were also
presented to graduating students who distinguished themselves on
the course, which included an Outstanding Bravery Award for the
first NAF female Regiment Rappel Instructor and first female
Backdoor Gunner, Lance Corporal Basirat Salaudeen.
Dignitaries at the event included the Chairmen and Deputy
Chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Air Force, the
Inspector General of Police and representatives of the Chief of
Defence Staff and other Service Chiefs as well as the
representatives of the Executive Governor of Bauchi State and the
Emir of Bauchi, among many others.
IBIKUNLE DARAMOLA
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
Nigerian Air Force