Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Nigerien Air Force, Colonel Amirou Abdoulkader, has assured the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) of his commitment towards strengthening the strategic relationship with the NAF in fight against Boko Haram/Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorism and other criminal activities affecting Nigeria and the Republic of Niger.
Colonel Abdoulkader also said that his country would take advantage of the opportunities available in the NAF to enhance professionalism and build needed capacity for the effective and efficient employment of Air Power in his Service.
The Nigerien CAS spoke on Tuesday when he led a delegation to meet with Nigeria’s outgoing CAS, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, at Headquarters NAF, Abuja where he witnessed the NAF wing seven additional NAF pilots.
While six recently completed their Basic and Intermediate Fixed Wing Training at 403 Flying Training School, Kano, the seventh completed his training with the Indian Air Force.
Colonel Abdoulkader restated the commitment of the Niger Republic to strengthen the existing cordial relationship between the two Air Forces, which he said, has “so far has yielded several mutually beneficial military collaborations.”
He noted that Nigeria and Niger, as neighbours, share a common border of about 1,500 kilometres and have always maintained exemplary and fraternal relations covering social, cultural economic, and security interests.
He noted that the context of the security challenges being faced by both countries necessitates greater synergy in relations on all levels.
The Nigerien CAS disclosed that the mandate of the visit was to ensure the protection of the respective countries from all kinds of threats, both external and internal.
He added that the nature of conflicts and the persistence of groups associated with unhealthy activities require the two countries to find lasting solutions and continuously adapt to current and future threats.
According to him, “we must continue to strengthen our human material and operational capacities in order to be in line with current and future threats, it is in this context we visited the NAF which represents a model in the sub-region and could assist us to ensure growth and consolidation of our achievements.”
The Nigerien CAS, while lauding NAF’s pivotal role in Counter Insurgency (COIN) Operations in Nigeria, thanked the NAF CAS for the collaboration with Diffa Air Base 501 (BA501).
He further urged the BA501 and the ATF to sustain the momentum, praying that the visit would mark a significant turning point in collaboration between the countries’ armed forces.
While welcoming the Nigerien CAS, Air Marshal Abubakar said that the nature of the fight against Boko Haram/Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) requires strong collaboration and strategic partnerships to successfully overcome them.
Noting that the NAF had enjoyed this kind of partnership with Nigérien Air Force over the years, he stated that the story of the successes recorded in the COIN Operations in the Northeast of Nigeria would not be complete without mentioning how the partnership between the two Air Forces.
Speaking on the winging of new pilots, the CAS said that from July 2015 to date, the NAF has winged 124 pilots, comprising 76 pilots who completed their training in foreign institutions and 48 who had trained in local institutions.
He further disclosed that with today’s winging of seven pilots, the total number of pilots trained by the current Nigerian Air Force administration is now 131, which constitutes 49.6 per cent of the total strength of NAF active pilots.
Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar further disclosed that, at present, the NAF has a total of 193 officers and airmen/airwomen undergoing training abroad cutting across several specialties and trades.
“Out of this number”, the CAS said, “2 pilots are currently undergoing Undergraduate Pilot Training with the United States Air Force, while 4 student pilots are in the Czech Republic undergoing Basic Fighter Training on the L-39 aircraft. In the same vein, 4 pilots are undergoing helicopter training at the United States Army Aviation, while another 4 have been processed to join up in the coming days.”
He noted, furthermore, that nine pilots were in the United Kingdom undergoing Basic Helicopter Pilot Training.
In addition, another nine personnel were in South Africa undergoing Basic Fixed Wing Pilot Training.
Meanwhile, while receiving the Nigerien CAS in his office, the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff, (CDS) General Abayomi Olonisakin, stated that the visit would reinforce and further consolidate on the existing cooperation between the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) and Nigerien Armed Forces.
The CDS noted that the visit would open up more areas of cooperation especially, training between the NAF and Nigerien Air Force.
General Olonisakin further stated that the AFN and MNJTF have been working together to ensure that peace is restored in the Lake Chard Basin area.