President Buhari
President Buhari Charges 114 Newly Commissioned NAF
Cadets on National Security
The President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of
Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, has charged the newly
commissioned Nigerian Air Force (NAF) officers of Direct Short
Service Commission (DSSC) Course 29/2020 to positively deploy the
knowledge acquired during their training to defend the territorial
integrity and national interests of Nigeria. The President gave
this charge today, 8 August 2020, during the Passing Out Parade
(POP) of 114 DSSC officer cadets held at the NAF Base, Kaduna after
6 months of rigorous and intensive military training at the NAF’s
Military Training Centre (MTC). The successful completion of
military training of the officer cadets, which comprised 2 medical
consultants, 14 medical and veterinary doctors, 20 nurses and 78
other medical specialists, is another laudable step taken by the
current NAF leadership as part of its human capacity building
initiatives to meet the Nation’s security challenges.
While congratulating the newly commissioned officers for
withstanding the rigours of the training, the Reviewing
Officer/Special Guest of Honour (SGOH) at the colourful POP, who
was represented by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General
Abayomi Olonisakin, reminded them that the occasion was just the
beginning of yet another challenging but rewarding career as young
officers in the NAF. He further reminded them that the military
profession requires absolute discipline, loyalty and hard work,
among other virtues. He noted that these virtues were even more
critical at this crucial point when the Nation is battling with the
challenges of insecurity and the NAF, along with sister Services,
is expected to secure the lives and properties of Nigerians to
peacefully pursue their individual legitimate aspirations. “Such
noble service demands exceptional courage, commitment and
patriotism and Nigeria will continue to demand such qualities from
you”, he added.
Speaking further, the SGOH emphasized that the Government was
doing so much to confront the security challenges bedeviling the
nation by taking necessary measures to safeguard lives and
properties and to drastically cut off all forms of criminality. “I
gladly inform you and indeed all Nigerians that the NAF is
consistently supporting these Government efforts. Therefore, as you
graduate, I urge you all to positively deploy the training that has
been inculcated in you to defend the territorial integrity and
national interest of our dear country”, he reiterated. The SGOH
also urged the young officers to do their best to further enhance
the NAF’s efforts towards boosting qualitative healthcare for
personnel, their dependants and members of NAF’s host communities,
including sustaining medical outreaches for civilians and victims
of insurgency and banditry. “This pragmatic approach to promote
civil military relations will go a long way in winning the hearts
and minds of the communities, thus assisting in timely containment
of insurgency, banditry and other security challenges”, he
said.
The newly commissioned officers were further reminded of the
need to subject themselves to both military and civil laws and
protect the Nation’s growing democracy. While urging them to be
vigilant and guard their utterances and conduct at all times, the
SGOH also reminded them of the need to know the limits of their
freedom of association and expression which must be matched with
responsibility to maintain national security. “You must also not
allow yourself to be used by some elements in the society to
compromise national security or act in ways capable of denting the
image of the Armed Forces. Your duty is to protect all Nigerians
irrespective of their ethnic background or religious inclination.
Your loyalty must therefore never be in doubt at any point in time
as an officer”, he added.
The SGOH commended the Executive Governor of Kaduna State,
Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, for supporting members of the Armed Forces
operating within the State. He also commended the Chief of the Air
Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, for his judicious use of
available resources and robust capacity building initiatives
responsible for a disciplined, highly professional and timely
deployable air force. He equally extolled the efforts of the
Commandant MTC and his team of officers and men for the successful
completion of yet another training, whilst assuring them of his
continued support to sustain their training efforts.
One of the highlights of the POP was the presentation of awards
to deserving passing out cadets. Among the award winners were Cadet
(now Flying Officer) Mbam Ndubisi who won the President,
Commander-in-Chief’s Award for coming first in order of merit,
while Flying Officer Lekon Mustapha won the Honourable Minister of
Defence Award for coming second in order of merit. Other award
winners were Flying Officer Samaila Yusuf, who came third in order
of merit, winning the CDS’ Award, and Flying Officer Ummu Muhammed,
who won the CAS’ Award for coming fourth, while Flying Officer
Abdulkadir Ahmad won the Commandant MTC’s Award for exhibiting
exceptional leadership qualities in the course of training.
After the colourful parade, the passing out cadets were
conferred with the Presidential Commission into the NAF and
decorated with their new ranks of Squadron Leaders, for the
consultants, and Flying Officer, for all others, by their
respective family members and well-wishers. After administering the
oath of allegiance on the newly commissioned officers, the SGOH
presented them with their parchments of commission.
Another major highlight of today’s event was the Research and
Development (R&D) Exhibition/Display which featured some of the
recent R&D breakthroughs of the Air Force Research and
Development (AFRDC). These included a locally developed Hexacopter
capable of carrying weaponized payloads; locally designed test
bench for hydraulic accumulator diaphragm of the L-39ZA aircraft
and a locally produced voltage/frequency converter for aircraft
ground support activities. Other R&D feats displayed were the
6-tube rocket launcher developed by AFRDC for the Bell-412
helicopter; locally produced heat shield protective cone for Alpha
Jet rocket pods as well as the locally designed and produced 30.1mm
rocket launcher/rockets. The SGOH was also briefed on the progress
of work on the development of 18-tube rocket launcher for the Alpha
Jet aircraft as well as other Armament-related R&D efforts.
The Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, was
represented at the event by the Commissioner of Internal Security,
Mr Samuel Aruwan. Other dignitaries present were the Chairman
Senate Committee on Air Force, Distinguished Senator Bala Ibn
Na’Allah; the Deputy Chairman House Committee on Air Force,
Honourable Abbas Adigun; the Director Air Force, Ministry of
Defence; Representatives of Chiefs of Army and Naval Staff and the
Inspector General of Police as well as the Representative of the
Emir of Zazzau, along with many other senior military officers and
families and friends of the newly commissioned officers.
Other activities held in honour of the newly commissioned
officers, as part of the week-long ceremonies, were the Regimental
Dinner Night held on 4 August 2020 and the Beating of the Retreat,
which took place on 5 August 2020.
IBIKUNLE DARAMOLA
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
Nigerian Air Force
8 August 2020