We’ve Degraded Operational Capacity Of Bandits — CAS

The Nigerian Air Force, NAF says it has recorded tremendous successes in the fight against bandits and insurgents terrorizing the country.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao made the disclosure at the graduation ceremony of 171 Special Forces also known as Panthers held at its Special Operations Command in Bauchi, the state capital following an intensive training course.

According to him, the security threats facing the nation have required intervention from the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the Nigerian Air Force by extension adding that it has sustained the drive to ensure that personnel are well trained both at home and overseas.

“The rigorous training of its special forces has helped shaping the battlespace and neutralizing adversary capabilities have resulted in greatly degrading operational capacity of bandits and insurgents in different operational theatres,” he said

“Indeed, our ability to respond immediately has been key to quelling various hostile attacks on the civil populace,” he added.

He, therefore, advised the graduating students to imbibe the basic skills and techniques required to conduct special operations pursuant to achieving the operational objectives of the NAF.

“For the graduating students of Special Forces course 9/2021, I am aware of the rigours of your training on ground and in the air and having been decorated with your Special Forces emblems. I say well done.”

“I therefore urge you to exhibit what you have learnt during the course whenever and wherever duty calls”

“These personnel will subsequently be deployed to our various theatres for force protection, personnel recovery and other direct-action tasks as required for the projection of airpower as required by operational exigencies,” he said.

Speaking earlier, the Air Officer Commanding Ground of the Training Command, AVM Frank Oparah in his welcome address said, out of the 342 personnel screened for SF9/2021,

Only 197 were inaugurated to start the course while 171 personnel comprising 3 officers, 167 airmen and one airwoman successfully graduated.