By Paul Obi in Abuja
Following the efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to stabilise The Gambia, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has airlifted a military contigent made up of the Nigerian Army and Navy to the West African country for peace mission.
The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, said: “The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) air lifted Nigerian Army (NA) and Nigerian Navy (NN) contingents to The Gambia in pursuance of the ongoing ECOWAS Mission in Gambia (ECOMIG).
“The troops who were airlifted by the NAF C-130 Hercules Aircraft included officers, soldiers and ratings from 351 Artillery Regiment NA as well as from the Special Boat Services of the NN.”
According to him, “The troops and other equipment deployed for the operation were airlifted from the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja to Banjul in The Gambia.
“The NAF aircraft is also expected to recover home the Nigerian contingent that had completed their 6 months tour of duty in The Gambia as stipulated for troop’s rotation in the ECOMIG Operation.
“It would be recalled that the NAF was the first to deploy to The Gambia in January 2017 as part of the standby force tasked by ECOWAS Heads of State to enforce the December 1, 2016 election mandate, which restored Adama Barrow as President.”
Details later…
