Nigerian Airforce says it has trained four thousand personnel both locally and overseas to meet specialized needs in the Force protection.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar disclosed this at the combined graduation ceremony of the Defence Intelligence Agency weapon handling course one held at the regiment training center, Kaduna.
Represented by Air Vice Marshal James Gwani, the Air Chief explained that the initiative to train the personnel was to ensure that the Force’s bases have improved security, thereby providing the necessary platform to guarantee mission success.
He maintained that the Force has increased the number of personnel recruitment while building up the capability of the Force regiment to current levels to man these units.
Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar noted that since his assumption of office five years ago, his desire was to transform the Force into a highly professional and disciplined Force through capacity building initiatives for effective, efficient and timely employment of airpower in response to national security imperatives.
He pointed out that the skills and trainings acquired by the personnel in the course of the training is going to better position them to be much more effective and efficient in the discharge of their various responsibilities as they collaborate with other security agencies to contain the various security challenges that the country is presently grappling with.
Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar urged the personnel to be very professional, have utmost respect for human rights and ensure rules of engagement in every assignment they are called upon to carry.
Earlier in his speech, Commandant of the Regiment Training Centre, Group Captain Daniel Musa Komo explained that the combined training of members of the armed forces and intelligence agency personnel was aimed at tutoring and improving on the students general safety rules on the use of small arms, possible stoppages, improved actions as well as enhancing synergy between both services and other security in the fight against insurgency.
He added that the graduands have undergone series of trainings to enhance their operational capability, indepth knowledge on small arms usage, operation and maintenance programme.
A total of eighty-six personnel drawn from the Army, Airforce, Navy and personnel of Defence Intelligence Agency graduated after undergoing a four week training.
Usman Sani.