Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
.The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Thursday granted a Non-commissioned officer (NCO), Aircraftsman (ACM) Bashir Umar, double promotion for his display of honesty by returning 37,000 Euros recovered from the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano recently.
Umar was promoted to the rank of corporal.
The money was returned to the owner, a Kano-based businessman, Alhaji Ahmed, who had left his number on the bag containing the foreign currency.
Speaking at the special decoration held for the recipient at the NAF Headquarters, Abuja, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, said the officer displayed uncommon of integrity.
“I am particularly thrilled to be part of another history being recorded here today, by the exemplary conduct of this Non-commissioned officer. ACM Bashir’s display of uncommon act of integrity by returning €37,000 he found at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano to its owner on July 7, 2019 while performing his routine duties portrayed the good values we hold in high esteem in the Nigerian Air Force,” he said.
He added that the conduct was in tandem with his vision to “promote and inculcate the core values of integrity, excellence and service delivery”.
He said he found in the promoted NCO rare qualities that NAF was noted for.
“The special promotion of Bashir to the rank of Corporal today, apart from serving as a reward for good conduct is also to serve as motivation to other airmen/airwomen to aspire for such elevation.
“I am therefore, delighted to see a cross-section of the gathering of members and friends of the Air Force family for an event that triggers happiness and self-actualisation,” he said.
Meanwhile, the NAF said it was collaborating with Bangladesh to train pilots and helicopter
pilots.
Speaking while receiving the Bangladesh Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Shameem Ahsan, in his office, he said “the areas of collaboration to be explored include basic fighter pilot training, helicopter pilot training, research and development, and training of aviation medicine personnel as well as other relevant fields that would enhance service delivery.”
Responding, the Bangladesh Ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to further deepen the already existing cordial relationship between Nigeria and Bangladesh.
He assured the CAS of the Bangladesh government’s commitment to continue to collaborate with the NAF in all the areas of mutual interest.
