Nigeria’s military high command on Tuesday disclosed that it would sustain air and ground operations against insurgents, armed bandits and other non-state actors across the country.
Former Governor of Zamfara State, Ahmed Yerima, had at a meeting on Monday with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja, suggested that dialogue be employed as part of the strategy to contain banditry in the North-west.
Speaking at the weekly operations briefing held at the Strategic Operations Centre, Headquarters Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Abuja, Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Hassan Abubakar, said there was a compelling need for personnel to redouble their efforts towards ensuring that all forms of criminality were eradicated from the society.
This comes as the Nigerian Air Force said it would undertake an overhaul of its entire operations in view of the need to readapt to the dynamic nature of the current operational environment.
Abubakar stated that “though there was the need to employ non-kinetic means of reaching out to those aggrieved, which does not fall within the purview of the military, air and ground operations must be sustained”.
Speaking further, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar disclosed that the overhaul of the operational environment became expedient in order to maximise the potentials of jointness as being exhibited by members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) and other security agencies.
He, however, noted that the need for attitudinal change by all NAF personnel was imperative if the gains of an overhaul of the entire operational environment were to be maximised.
“Without the right attitude by the officers and men of the NAF, any form of overhaul undertaken by the service will be a waste of time and resources”, he said.
While commending the efforts of NAF personnel especially those at the various operational theatres for their commitment and dedication to ongoing counterterrorism operations, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar reiterated the need for all to redouble their efforts towards ensuring that all forms of criminality were eradicated from the society.
He also stated that under his watch, an all-inclusive leadership style would be emplaced where every personnel would be carried along, while also ensuring that welfare, infrastructural development and all operational needs are given due consideration.
A statement signed by NAF Spokesman, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, also spoke about his command philosophy which he sais would be coined out of the vision and mission of the AFN as encapsulated in the 2017 National Defence Policy document. According to him, the need to adhere and key into a single vision and mission by the AFN will enhance synergy of purpose while improving jointness, cooperation and esprit de corps.
He maintained that his command philosophy aims at providing a holistic view of how to accomplish assigned missions, get the various parts of the NAF working in unison and thriving, while also safeguarding the welfare of all personnel.
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