Counterinsurgency: NAF Graduates 769 UK-trained Special Forces

Determined to rout terrorist group, Boko Haram in the North-east, the Nigerian Air Force yesterday graduated 769 special forces trained in partnership with the British Military Advisory Training Team (BMATT).

The graduands bring to 2, 351 special forces trained under the partnership agreement since 2015.

They were trained in basic and advanced regiment courses, including specialised courses such as the Force Protection in Complex Air and Ground Environment (FPCAGE), Special Forces Instructors’ Course (SFIC) and Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) Course, at the Regiment Training Centre (RTC), Kaduna.

In his remarks at the graduation ceremony, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, noted that the gradua- tion of 769 NAF personnel drawn from the regiment, air police and intelligence specialties, was indeed a laudable achievement which would immensely contribute to the fight against insurgency and other forms of criminality whilst also enhancing the execution of the NAF Base Defence Architecture.

The CAS added that since he assumed office, the NAF had continued to build a sustainable and functional air force that “is highly responsive to Nigeria’s contemporary security challenges.”

Air Marshal Abubakar explained further that the NAF had undertaken several air and ground related capacity building initiatives which were meant to significantly enable the Service to have depth, flexibility and capability to operate either singly or jointly with sister Services and other security agencies.

He noted that the desire to make the NAF the best in the sub-region necessitated new platforms, equipment and specialised training.

He therefore seized the opportunity to thank the Commanderin-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari, for the priority attention given to the requirements of NAF which had resulted in the acquisition of 18 brand new aircraft in the last three years; with another 12 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft and six Agusta 109 Power Helicopters being expected from the United States of America and Italy, respectively.

He assured the President that the Service would continue to make judicious use of the resources entrusted to it. He also specially appreciated BMATT, the Royal Air Force and the Government of the United Kingdom (UK) for their continued support and commitment to the NAF, in particular, and Nigeria, in general. He also appreciated the Four Troop Team