Flight Lieutenant Abayomi Dairo received a hero’s welcome when he returned to base on Monday morning after escaping death as his aircraft, the Alpha Jet, was shot down by bandits in the forest of Zamfara State.
“Welcome the Aggressor!” “Welcome the Aggressor!” rent the air as he alighted, limping from a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) rescue helicopter, into the waiting arms of his fellow pilots and ground crew.
Dairo narrowly escaped death when the fighter jet, Alpha Jet, received enemy fire and he ejected safely, maneuvering through thick forest from early afternoon to the dark of night. Using his phone set for navigation, he eluded several bandits’ strongholds as he maneuvered his way to a Nigerian Army Unit where he was finally rescued.
In a 2 minutes, 20 seconds video, Flight Lieutenant Dairo was helped first by two of his colleagues who held him in warm embrace as excitement rent the air amidst continuing shouts of “Welcome the Aggressor!” “Congratulations!”
Dairo was formally received at the NAF Base, Kaduna hangar on Monday morning by after alighting from the helicopter by Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor and Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao.
Meanwhile, Nigerians have taken to Social Media, commending the gallant pilot for demonstrating bravery and urging the Armed Forces of Nigeria especially the NAF to consider promoting him to the next rank in the next promotion exercise.
According to Felix Enyiegor: “Congratulations to our gallant officer. Thank God you made it back home. I am sure your family will celebrate you more.”
https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?gdpr=1&gdpr_consent=CO8mITsO8mITsEsABBENA_CoAP_AAG_AABowGTpB7T5FbSFCyO55dLsAMAhXRkCEAiQAAASAAmABQAKQAAQCkkAQlASgBAACAAAgICJBAQAMCAgACQABwABAAAAAAAAABAAIIAAAgAEAAAAIAAACAIAAAAAIAAAAEAAAmwgAAIIACBk4AIgqRQEAQkjASTQpACAAAEYABAAgAAAAgAJgAAAAEAAEAhJAAAAAAAAAAAAAICACQQAAAAAIAAAAAcAAQAAAAAAAAAAACAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIEAAAAAAAgAAA.f_gAAAAAAAA&addtl_consent=1~1765.1716.1577.2202.1248.574.66.70.2357.1301.93.864.2526.571.108.122.1878.440.1097.2253.167.2571.2373.317.311.184.1276.817.2575.196.89.1365.2072.1201.241.149.338.253.588.259.1211.1095.2568.1651.1449.1570.1205.1051.2531.2299.1171.162.1415.415.1126.1127.1870.448.449.1753.486.540.495.494.482.2677.981.1889.323&client=ca-pub-7167863529667065&output=html&h=280&slotname=7746968165&adk=2599110962&adf=2902425353&pi=t.ma~as.7746968165&w=999&fwrn=4&fwrnh=100&lmt=1626717278&rafmt=1&psa=1&format=999×280&url=https%3A%2F%2Fpunchng.com%2Fair-crash-nigerians-hail-gallant-pilot-dairo-want-him-promoted%2F&flash=0&fwr=0&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&wgl=1&dt=1626717277513&bpp=5&bdt=2264&idt=180&shv=r20210712&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D1fe693bdb951ffad-221374d7b8ba00a1%3AT%3D1615445192%3AR%3AS%3DALNI_MYLi9-4ShNIZEvFW7-7Cj8tOVQihw&prev_fmts=999×280&correlator=2909881877200&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=275240276.1588143203&ga_sid=1626717279&ga_hid=187430787&ga_fc=0&u_tz=60&u_his=5&u_java=0&u_h=768&u_w=1366&u_ah=728&u_aw=1366&u_cd=24&u_nplug=0&u_nmime=0&adx=5&ady=2194&biw=1349&bih=643&scr_x=0&scr_y=153&eid=31061485&oid=3&pvsid=2231568236902079&pem=24&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fpunchng.com%2F&eae=0&fc=896&brdim=-8%2C-8%2C-8%2C-8%2C1366%2C0%2C1382%2C744%2C1366%2C643&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7CpeEbr%7C&abl=CS&pfx=0&fu=128&bc=31&ifi=2&uci=a!2&btvi=2&fsb=1&xpc=JP9IMBwcuj&p=https%3A//punchng.com&dtd=1118 Chukz Chukwudi said: “He (the pilot) should also be careful. Those cabals hailing him wanted him dead. Thank God he survived, the news would’ve been hidden from the public.”
“The names we give our children play important roles in their lives. God saved this pilot and the names still tell a lot: Abayomi Olorun o je, Omo Dairo. Abayomi means they would have mocked me but God stopped it. His surname, Dairo, means keep off from this.
“With all these, we give thanks to God and the pilot also should be wise; because they will soon send him another suicide mission.” Babatunde Ayano added.
Felix Wegbo enquired, “What about the second pilot? Thought they use to be two pilots. If he was the only one sent to carry out the task. Then, it is suspicious.”
Kingsley Ochoma said, “I can still see the fear on his face even when he is in a safe place. He alone can tell what he saw. Thank God for sparing your life.”
“The pilot seems to be in shock up till the time of this picture. Thank God for saving his life,” Ivoke Chris added.
On their part, Bamidele Aderonmu and Obada AK urged that the sacrifice of the pilot should be rewarded.
They noted that he should not be schemed out of promotional exercises over his tribe.
“Big positions in Army are shared among top guys in Army but when it’s to go and fight the bandits, they will send small boys,” Aderonmu added.
Obada Ak said, “This kind of person deserves to be dealt with fairly. He deserves all the support he can get from the government to rise and be promoted. He will be a symbol of courage for his colleagues with encouraging career growth.”
