We’ll no longer treat criminal elements with kid gloves – Air chief

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar, has said the force will no longer treat criminal elements with kid gloves.

Speaking at the 2023 graduation of 618 students of sundry military courses of the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) comprising 27 officers and 591 airmen and airwomen yesterday in Kaduna the air chief tasked personnel to continue the trajectory until they bring all criminals to their knees.

Represented by the Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Air Training Command, Air Vice Marshal Nnamdi Ananaba told the graduating students to use collective efforts to sustain current intensity of air operations until the country is rid of all forms of criminality.

“Let me reiterate here that the era of treating criminal elements in our country with kids’ gloves is over. We must continue on this trajectory until we bring all of them to their knees. Therefore, as you rejoin the mainstream workforce of the Nigerian Air Force, your contributions would be instrumental to our collective efforts to sustain and even surpass current intensity of air operations until we completely rid our country of all forms of criminalities.”

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He expressed delight over recent curricula review, the institute has increased its focus on the practical aspects instead of the predominantly theoretical training that was hitherto the case.

He commended the lecturers and instructors for their diligence and sacrifice towards producing quality technical manpower for the Nigerian Air Force and urged them to constantly improve on the standards towards ensuring that their graduates are up-to-date with cutting edge technology and global best practices in aircraft and equipment maintenance.

The Commandant, AFIT, Air Vice Marshal Sani Labaran Rabe, disclosed that henceforth, the institute will administer drug test on new students to tackle drug related issues on campus.

He said steps had been taken including punitive measures to eradicate completely the issues of drug abuse and cultism.

“To address issues related to drug abuse and cultism in the institute, we have resolved to administer drug tests on new intakes as measures to completely eradicate the issues.

“To curtail the proliferation of cyber crimes among the staff and students, the institute has partnered with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to sensitise staff and students.”