Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, on Tuesday appealed to the Nigerian Air Force not to be tired of fighting insurgents in the state following the Monday imcident where the surveillant jet belonging to the force was brought down by the criminals.
Bago made the appeal at NAF headquarters, Abuja when he paid a condolence visit to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar. He urged the air chief to send some detachment and fighter planes to Minna airport for quick interference whenever enemies are advancing.
The governor, who also commiserated with the military high command for losing some land troops to the enemies, promised NAF that the state government was ready to provide accommodations for the air force personnel in Minna close to the airport.
“Your deployment of both fighter jets and UAVs have been very apt and helpful to the ground troops and our own local vigilantes. But like Oliver Twist, we need more.
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“I have come here to say Minna airport was created as a backup for Abuja airport and we have the longest runways in Nigeria. We’re calling on you to please send some detachment and some fighter planes to Minna, so that we can have more rapid responses from when they are very close instead of flying from either Kainji or Kaduna.
“Let me at this juncture say thank you for giving us this time, and to say that Niger State government will support you anywhere you are. We are happy with what you’re doing and we’re behind you and we will support you.
“Our people have also asked me to tell you that we can actually give you accommodations if you can bring people. We will provide accommodations that are very close to the airport in Minna. Come and stay in Minna because we need your protection,” Bago told air chief during the meeting.
Daily Trust had reported that at least 20 soldiers were killed in an ambush by bandits along the Zungeru-Tegina Road in Niger State late Sunday night.
No fewer than seven other soldiers and five vigilantes sustained varying degrees of gunshot injury and were taken to the IBB Specialist Hospital, Minna, the state capital.
Speaking before the meeting, the governor, who first ordered that a minute silence be observed for the departed souls, explained that the difficult terrains like mountains and hills in the state, gave the non-state actors impetus to continue perpetrating their evils.
“Before I proceed, I crave your indulgence for us to observe a minute silence for the souls of the departed. May their souls rest in perfect peace.
“Your Excellency, the Chief of Air Staff, on behalf of the people and government of Niger State, we have come today to you with three issues.
“One, to commiserate and condole with you over the death of your men and soldiers at Niger State the day before yesterday (Sunday). The crash happened within the mountain of Shiroro. We deeply sympathize with you.
“We also sympathize with the Nigerian military over the losses recorded in the ambush that happened in Wushishi which eventually brought about the evacuation by your own chopper that crashed.
“Secondly, we thank you very much for what you have been doing. The Air Force has done so much for us as a people. You have supported Niger State in the fight against insurgency and banditry. I want to say don’t be tired. Thank you very much for what you’ve been doing,” the governor said.
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