Security Threat: Nigeria Airforce to Establish Quick Response Wing in Nasarawa

Emmanuel Ukumba in Lafia
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, has said the Nigeria Air Force will establish a Quick Response Wing in Nasarawa State to checkmate the security threat on the Benue/Nasarawa border.

The chief of air staff disclosed this yesterday in Lafia when he led a delegation from the airforce headquarters on a courtesy call on Governor Tanko Al-Makura at the Government House, Lafia.

He explained that as soon as the Quick Response Wing is established in the state, it will be composed of 150 special forces who were about to graduate from training on February 23, 2018 to commence work immediately.

“Immediately after they graduate, we are going to deploy them to Nasarawa State. The idea is for us to create an enabling environment for people to pursue their legitimate aspiration without any fears,” Abubakar said.

The airforce chief explained that the establishment of the Quick Response Wing was sequel to a threat analysis the airforce headquarters conducted towards the end of last year and discovered that there was an issue between Benue and Nasarawa States.
He therefore assured Governor Al-Makura that the Nigeria Airforce was looking at constructing a helipad not only in Lafia, but also in some villages that the Airforce has identified.

According to him, “We want to be with the villagers as much as possible. We also want to do like other places that we established units; we want to see how we can bring in medical outfits. That is why I said the villages are the areas we really wanted to be close to and see how we can add value to what is on ground.”

Abubakar concluded that the Airforce presence will not be restricted to Nasarawa State only, as the force is equally looking at doing same in Taraba State.

“We want to make sure that our people are able to go about their legitimate businesses without any fear,” the air chief maintained.

Responding, Governor Al-Makura thanked the initiative brought to Nasarawa State by the Chief of Air Staff towards bringing about peace and stability at the Benue/Nasarawa corridor especially at the time of security challenges as a result of the implementation of the anti-grazing law.

His words: “There could not be better time to deploy your initiative to this corridor than this time and we have seen the result in the airforce as you have done with your other colleagues within the millitary.”

Even the little surveillance we had with the police hovering around our air space when we have community problem, we knew how much psycological effect that had had in sanitising the situation in the state. Now that the airforce is here itself, we cannot but go to sleep that our security has been given another added value that we better go about our normal activities without any fear.”

Al-Makura concluded by assuring the chief of air staff of readiness of the state to collaborate with the airforce to ensure that there is success in the initiative of the force.

“For this reason, I want to inform you that before now, in anticipation of any help that could come our way, we embarked on the construction of a helipad and other associated services,” he stated.

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