‘We have destroyed Boko Haram command structure’

The Chief of Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Adesola Amosu said the military has substantially damaged the command structure of Boko Haram including their training sessions.

“It is very clear that we have been able to disrupt the communication lines. Their command and control is substantially damaged and we have been able to disrupt their training session, so the issue of regeneration is out of it,’’ he said.

Amosu disclosed this in a chat with journalists in Abuja yesterday after the Nigeria Air Force budget defence.

“So far we are happy and satisfied with what is going on and I am happy to announce to you that we are having a lot of cooperation from the citizens. We are getting valuable intelligence from the citizens and we want them to keep it up because this is our country, we have no other country to go to,” he said.

The Air force boss also commended neighbouring countries of Chad, Cameroun and Niger for their efforts in routing the insurgents saying, “We are lucky again to have our neighbours and they have agreed to work with us.”

On the 2015 budget, Amosu advocated for adequate funding of the Nigerian Air Force to enable it carry out its mandate effectively in order to complete on-going projects relating to re-activation and maintenance of aircraft, purchase of arms and ammunition.

Committee Chairman Senator Saidu Alkali said in spite of the drop in the country’s revenue, there was a need for the Federal Government to prioritise the available resources.

Similarly, the Aviation Minister, Mr Osita Chidoka, decried that the sector was not adequately funded.

He said there was downward review of the 2015 budget estimates, which would grossly affect the performance of the sector if not reviewed.