SAN FRANCISCO, August 19, (THEWILL) – The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Saddique Abubakar, has revealed that the Nigerian Air Force would soon take delivery of 12 new Mi-35 attack helicopter gunships fitted with modern facilities to fire guided missiles at enemy positions.
Abubakar made this known in a programme on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), monitored by THEWILL where he declared that there was an urgent need to boost the capacity of the air force to meet its responsibilities.
He revealed that the air force is involved in the battle to rid the country of terrorism in the North East and other serious security issues confronting the country, such as Niger Delta militancy and community attacks.
“Aside the gunships from Russia, a new set of fighter jets from the United States of America with ISR facilities would soon be delivered to NAF as soon as the US Congress, which gives approval on manufacture and sale of such hi-tech weaponry, gave its nod,” he revealed.
“We have degraded the capacity of the Boko Haram terrorist’s group to move around inside the Sambisa forest.
“The only problem we are having is that of the terrain. It is a big challenge because the place has been mined and troops cannot just move freely.
“However, the terrorists have been fleeing the forest because of air force bombardment.
Story by David Oputah.
