This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday by its Public Relations Officer, Wing Cdr. Chris Erondu.

TAC said in the statement that the four-day exercise would hold between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily at its Air Range located in Kwarnev community in Makurdi.

It is a usual routine military Air-to-Ground-Integration exercise.

“There will be firing of live heavy weapons at the air range by NAF combat aircraft.

“Consequently, residents and farmers around the Kwarnev Air Range area and its environs are encouraged not to panic on hearing the sounds of the weapons as the exercise is not meant to cause panic or harm anybody.

“Also, they are warned not to come close to the air range throughout the period and time of the exercise to avoid casualty,’’ the statement said.

Source: NAN

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The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, made the disclosure in a statement on Friday in Kaduna.

“The air component of Operation Thunder Strike conducted a series of aerial missions across several locations, as reported in operational feedback from NAF to the Kaduna State Government.

“Armed reconnaissance was conducted over Erena, Kusasu, Kuduru, Kulefe, Kusherki and Shiroro in neighbouring Niger State as well as Chikun and environs, in Chikun LGA.

“Bandits were seen fleeing part of Kusasu in Chikun LGA of the state on motorcycles. They were trailed by the crew and subsequently neutralized,” he said.

According to him, normal activities have been restored following the armed reconnaissance conducted on the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway, Olam Farms, Rugu, Akilbu, Polewire Rijana, Katari, Jere and adjoining settlements.

He said that normal human activities and free flow of traffic were observed along the highway and rail line as all locations scanned were reported calm with no threats observed.

Aruwan also disclosed that the airstrike carried out operations over Jan Birni, Birnin Gwari local government area, which was observed to be active with bandits.

“The targets were attacked by the aircraft, and it was subsequently confirmed that some bandits were indeed taken out and the camp set ablaze and destroyed,” he added.

The commissioner said that a second mission was flown over another identified camp in the area, which was also attacked, set ablaze and completely destroyed by two strike aircraft.

“Thereafter, a show-of-force was carried out by the aircraft over the Birnin Gwari general area, Kaduna metropolis and Zaria. Normal human activities were observed on the expressways and rail lines.

He said that the airstrike continued as aircraft conducted armed reconnaissance and show-of-force over Birnin Gwari, Kaduna metropolis and Zaria.

“Free flow of traffic was similarly observed on the expressways and rail line.

He said normal activities were reported within the metropolis as citizens observed the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations without incident.

“Afterwards, a show-of-force was conducted over Gwagwada, Gadani, Chikun, Kusasu, Iburu, Zamba, Shiroro, Kuta, Kwatayi and Erena, spanning Chikun, Kachia and Kajuru LGAs.

“All locations covered were reported calm with no threats observed,” he said.

Aruwan said that air interdiction, armed reconnaissance and patrols were set to be sustained over the coming days over Kaduna metropolis and other areas of interest in the state.

“Major highways will also be covered, including the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari, Kaduna-Abuja, Kaduna-Zaria, Kaduna-Kachia and Kaduna-Afaka roads.

The commissioner said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai commended the crews for the successful missions, and thanked them for their proactive operations.

Source: NAN

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That was the state of the Nigerian Air Force years back, until President Muhammadu Buhari came. The Force was wingless. Forlorn. Grounded. Comatose.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, gave an idea of what was, and what now is, in Abuja February 2020, when President Buhari inaugurated two Agusta 109 Power and one MI-171 E helicopters.

Said the Air Chief: “Just five years ago, the Nigerian Air Force was facing serious challenges with an abysmal 35 per cent aircraft serviceability status for all operable aircraft. At the same time, terrorism, insurgency and other heinous crimes were ravaging the nation with Improvised Explosive Devices exploding not only in the North-east but, indeed, in several urban centers, including the Federal Capital Territory.

“On assumption of office, the President approved the procurement of military equipment including fighter aircraft and helicopter gunships. This visionary step has profoundly impacted positively on Nigerian Air Force operations… Government has so far procured and inducted 22 aircraft, the Service is expecting 17 additional platforms including 12 Super Tucanos from the United States… The Service has undoubtedly come a long way from where it was in 2015.”

Just like its motto, the Nigerian Air Force is now willing, able and ready. President Buhari made it possible.

Just like its motto, the Nigerian Air Force is now willing, able and ready. President Buhari made it possible.

Can you imagine how the anti-insurgency war would have been without awesome air power? Sure, the whole country would have been overrun by now. The Infantry gives the Boko Haram insurgents a pounding on terra firma, and the Air Force gives them bloody noses from the sky. The war is not fully won yet, but every honest Nigerian would agree that it is not the way it had always been.

When the Buhari Administration came in 2015, a minimum of 17 local government areas were under full Boko Haram occupation. The people had fled, emirs and traditional rulers had shown clean pair of heels, and cities and villages were deserted.

On Inauguration Day, President Buhari moved the command center of the war to Maiduguri, the epicenter of the insurgency, and within weeks and months, all the occupied territories were recovered. The Air Force flew sorties after sorties, and pumped the fear of hell into the insurgents. Ground troops moved in, and mopped up the rest.

Before Buhari came, the Air Force had few fighter jets, and morale was at its lowest ebb. But in five years, see what has been accomplished. 10 x Super Mushshak aircraft acquired, along with 5 x Mi-35M Helicopter Gunships, 2x Bell 412 Helicopters, 4 x Agusta 109 Power Attack Helicopters, 1 x Mi-171 E Helicopter.

Expected to arrive the country soon are 19 manned Aircraft along 8 Unmanned, Combat Aerial Vehicles, 12 x A-29 Super Tucano, 3x JF-17 Thunder Fighter Aircraft, 1 x Mi-171E Helicopter, 3 x Special Missions Aircraft, 8 x UCAVs-including 2 Wingloong 11, 2CH-3 and 2 CH-4.

Can you imagine how the anti-insurgency war would have been without awesome air power? Sure, the whole country would have been overrun by now.

If you had a thieving Leader, interested only in feathering his own nest and that of his family, he would not spend billions of dollars in equipping the armed forces. As President Buhari arms the Air Force, he does same for the Army, the Navy, the Police, and all other para-military forces. Being an Army General himself, he knows there’s little they would achieve without equipment.

As he equips, the President also boosts the manpower needs of the Air Force too. Recruitment of airmen/airmen continues in thousands, while young graduates are regularly commissioned as officers after mandatory training. During one of such commissioning Air Chief Sadique reiterated that the Federal Government has facilitated unprecedented increase in number of aircraft available for Nigerian Air Force operations, bringing aircraft serviceability rate from 35% in July 2015 up to 82% as at February 2020.

“You would recall that 22 platforms were inducted into the Nigerian Air Force since 2015,” the Air Chief added.

The Nigerian Air Force is just a typical example of the change that President Buhari has brought to bear on many areas of national life. This is a man who has come to serve, rather than be served. At a time that national earnings dwindled by 60%, due to collapse in prices of oil in the international market, infrastructure work is not stopping. Roads, bridges, rail, airports, power, and the like, continue. Stories abound in different sectors. And the half has never yet been told. The past is but a story told. The future will still be written in gold.

*Adesina is Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity

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Arotile told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lokoja on Wednesday that he was shocked to receive the news of her death few hours later.

“Just yesterday (July 14) at about 1 p.m., I called her because she just came back from an operation against the bandits in Katsina.

“They gave them one week to rest and so she was sleeping and told me she was in bed resting, she said she will later go out to make some photocopies.

“I told her not to be long and to return home on time because she was staying with my first daughter in Kaduna.

“Around 5.30 p.m., somebody called me and asked if I had called her today and I said yes, then the person told me to call her which I did, but no response.

“So, I called her colleagues, and they were all crying on phone, I asked what happened , they were just crying, so I called one of her bosses who told me that she is in the mortuary.

“I said ha!, Somebody I spoke with 4 hours ago and by 5 p.m. she was in the mortuary,” he explained.

According to him, he had to drive from Abuja to Lokoja to break the sad news to her mother.

“This is to enable me inform her mother physically because I could not break such news on phone, but when I came she had gone to the prayer mountain.

“She came back around 8.30 p.m., I told her this is what I heard but that I had not confirmed,” he said.

Arotile, who retired from the Transmission Company of Nigeria in 2019, described his daughter as a brilliant and wonderful person right from when she was young.

“Right from day one, she had been very very intelligent, sometimes, I wonder what type of IQ she had.

“She also combined intelligence with hard-work. She has not just been brilliant but wonderful,” he said.

According to him, Tolulope did all her schooling in Kaduna from kindergarten to nursery at the Airforce Base and Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna.

“One day when she was very small, she pointed to one small aircraft parked on the field and said, Dad, one day I am going to fly that aircraft and I said Amen.

“So from that day, she started working towards that, she got admission to the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, she had a Bachelor degree in Mathematics, she became an Airforce Cadet; from there, she was sent on several courses abroad and became a pilot.

“I just thank God that she was able to achieve her life dream as a baby before her death,” he added.

The late Flight Officer, who died as a result of a motor accident at the age of 25, hailed from Ijumu Local Government, Kogi State.

She was standing by the road side at Kawo area of Kaduna when a former secondary school classmate sighted her and applied the brake.

The female old school mate was reversing her vehicle to enable her properly greet her when she mistakenly knocked her down.

The late Arotile died from the head injury she sustained from the accident.

The father said he was impressed by the outpouring of sympathy messages and support from the Nigeria Airforce and other Nigerians since the incident happened.

“There have been several visits from her bosses from all over the country, including here in Lokoja, Abuja, Kaduna, Enugu and everywhere.

“The support have been overwhelming, they even gave a token and other promises.

“They have even promised to give a choice of where to bury her, but her commandant suggested that she should be buried at the National Cemetery, Abuja, due to the feat she achieved as the first female combatant helicopter pilot in Nigeria,” he said.

Source: NAN

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The attack was carried out near Doumbourou Hill by the air task force of Operation Diran Mikiya and the leader of the group was said to be one of those killed.

According to the Director, Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Ibikunle Daramola, the attack followed Human Intelligence (HUMINT) reports which were later confirmed by Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR).

Said Daramola:  “The attack was executed, Jan 2, following human intelligence (HUMINT) reports, which were later confirmed by Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), missions, indicating that a large number of bandits, armed with high calibre weapons, regularly assemble at a compound around the foot of the hill before going out on operations.

“Accordingly, the ATF scrambled two Nigerian Air Force (NAF) attack helicopters, supported by an ISR platform, to engage the bandits and destroy their compound.

“The helicopters strafed the target area in successive waves of attack, with the first wave causing some damage to the structures and neutralising some of their fighters.

“The second wave was sequenced to engage the armed bandits as they re-emerged out of their hiding places, thus inflicting further fatalities on them.”

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United States Department of Defence made the announcement on Wednesday.

The aircraft which will be built in Jacksonville, Florida, southeastern United States is expected to be ready in May 2024.

The US stated that the contract for the manufacturing of the aircraft was awarded to Sierra Nevada Corporation for an initial sum of $329 million.

Sierra Nevada Corporation is an American aerospace contractor.

The contract is described as “undefinitised contract action (UCA).”

The contract sum, it was said could vary, but would not exceed $344.7 million.

The UCA, according to a defence contracting explainer,  involved contracts whose terms, specifications, or price were not agreed upon before work commences.

Six of the aircraft would have a special feature known as Forward Looking Infrared System.

It is described as a technology that senses radiation and then coverts it to video output.

The Nigerian Air Force, it was disclosed, would also be given ground training devices, mission planning systems, mission debrief systems, spares, ground support equipment and alternate mission equipment among other conditions as part of the contract.

The request for the aircraft, according to President Muhammadu Buhari, was to tighten national security and enhance the battle against insurgency.

The Federal Government sent the sum of $469.4 million to the U.S. government in April.

The figure was revealed in the letter sent to the National Assembly.

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