The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar, has expressed plans by the Nigerian Airforce to deploy more personnel to its Minna Quick Response Unit (QRU) to curtail any possible act that could cause breach of peace and security in parts of the state.
The Quick Response Unit in Minna will be expanded to fully complement the, “Operation Sharandadi” currently covering some states in the North West region of the country, including Niger State,” the Air Marshal Sadiq said. Air Marshal Sadiq Abubarkar spoke when he visited the Niger State Governor, Alhaji Sani Bello, in his office in Minna, the state capital, during his one-day facts-finding mission since the loss of some personnel in the state.
He told Governor Bello that with situation of things at the state, “We are bringing in more officers and men to see how we can support state government and to see that there is peace in Niger state and the entire country.
“We are sending in Quick Response Force and that is why we are here to see the facilities on ground. Assess what we have before we deploy more officers and men to the state”, Air Marshal Sadiq said as he assured his host of a combat ready Airforce personnel in the state.
According to him, “The Airforce is now well equipped and our newly acquired assets will help us carry our effective surveillance and when need be to dislodge enemies”.
On the proposed Maintenance/ Repair Centre to be established by the force in Minna, Abubakar said that when completed the facility would provide platform for repairs and maintenance of helicopter and some fighter planes by the force and some West African countries instead of going abroad as the centre will help boost the revenue base of both state and federal government.
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello had earlier applauded the move by the force to increase its personnel in the state, stressing that the development would help to improve in securing the state from any external aggression.
Bello also pledged his administration’s readiness to partner with the Airforce in establishing the Maintenance/ Repair Centre in the state capital and directed the Commissioner for Investment to see areas of collaboration for the take-off of the centre.
