The Nigeria Air Force has appointed Air Vice Marshal Napoleon Bali as the new Air Officer Commanding (AOC) for its Special Operations Command and Commando Village for the training of Special Forces in Bauchi.
Bali took over from Air Vice Marshal Samson Akpasa.
Speaking at the taking over ceremony in Bauchi, the new AOC promised to tackle insurgency and other security challenges especially armed banditry in Zamfara and neighbouring states.
He said that the command would ensure the security and safety of citizens in Zamfara and other places facing security challenges across the country.
He commended the outgoing AOC for doing a lot to for the success of combat operations and promised to build on what has been done to restore peace in troubled areas in the country.
Also speaking the outgoing AOC said that he had added value to the Command both in its discipline, professional procedures as well as provided physical structures for its smooth operations.
He thanked officers and men of the command for the support they gave which translated into the successes recorded in operations and called on them to give the same co-operation to the new AOC.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Baba Abubakar, has commissioned a Commando Village at the Base for combat training operations.
He said, at the ceremony, that the Nigerian Air force was building its capacities to meet its operational and other needs in order to discharge its responsibilities.
He said the aim was to have a highly professional force which could project air power while ensuring that critical air assets, personnel and establishments were adequately secured.
Abubakar said the establishment of the Special Operations Command and the training of regiment personnel was meant to protect its airpower assets.
“In the past, we relied totally on the Nigerian Army to protect us in the event of any attack onour base. We are not trying to divorce our friends, the Nigerian Army, but what we are doing is to build efficient capacity to give some form of protection on our own. Where we are unable to do it or we are overwhelmed, we call the Nigerian Army to support us.
“That is why the Nigerian Air Force is building the capacity of our forces not only in rural operations which our people are doing on a daily basis,” he added.
He said the Nigerian Air Force wanted to ensure that no community in Nigeria was under threat, promising to work with other security agencies to provide the required security for the country’s development.
“The average Nigerian should be able to move around without any fear because he knows he has people like you on the ground. With what we have here and what you have demonstrated, no Nigerian has any reason to fear again but we are still building your capacity,” he added.
According to him, 300 Special Forces Personnel each have been deployed to Benue and Zamfara states to work hand in hand with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to restore peace and security to troubled areas.
He said that the Nigerian Air Force has established Commando Villages in Kaduna and Bauchi States while two more would be established in Ijesha, Osun State and Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
“All the trainings going on are to ensure that we are in the best of form to support the Nigerian Police Force which is the lead force in terms of these things. But be rest assured, from what you have seen that we are committed and we have what it takes to really deal with any situation that will undermine the security of the country. I believe that there is absolutely no need for fears,” he added.
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