We Can’t Afford To Fail Nigerians, CAS Charges Commanders
By Lawrence Audu
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, has charged the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) commanders to ensure service delivery of the responsibility placed on the Armed Forces of Nigeria by all Nigerians in ensuring their safety and wellbeing.
Air Marshal Abubakar stated this on Wednesday while meeting with key appointment holders, commanders, commandants, and air component commanders of the NAF.
He urged them to use the period of the meeting to evolve strategies to improve NAF operations as well as enhance its logistics support systems and maintenance practices while ensuring the serviceability of air assets for optimal employment of airpower capabilities in joint operations.
According to him, “So much is expected of us by the Nigerian people in ensuring we clear all areas of criminals and their tendencies. Therefore, we cannot afford to let Nigerians down.”
He added that the NAF had started taking delivery of additional air assets purchased by the Federal Government as only recently, it received the 2 remaining Diamond-62 Multi-Purpose Platforms at a ceremony held in Ilorin, Kwara State, stressing that the NAF will in no distant time be inducting other new platforms acquired for the Service.
According to the CAS, the additional aircraft when inducted, would add considerable impetus to NAF operations in dealing with insurgents, terrorists, and other criminal elements plaguing Nigeria, placing on record his sincere appreciation to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his continued support in attending to the operational, training and welfare needs of the Service.
He also assured the President and all Nigerians of NAF’s unwavering commitment to continually work wholeheartedly in concert with other security agencies towards achieving the mandate of ensuring a safe, secure, united, and prosperous Nation.
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Earlier, the Chief of Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal Sayo Olatunde, reminded the senior officers of the need for them to continue to see themselves not just as commanders or commandants but also as leaders, managers, and mentors to their subordinates.
“Command confers on you the authority and responsibility to effectively utilize available resources and to plan, organize, direct, coordinate, and control your forces for the accomplishment of assigned tasks. It also means you are responsible for the health, welfare, morale, and discipline of your personnel.”
He also pointed out to them the need to continue influencing their personnel by providing purpose, direction, and motivation with a view to accomplishing the assigned mission and improving the Service.
Additionally, he asked them to come to the meeting prepared to unlearn what they had previously learned in order to receive fresh perspectives that would improve their ability to assume command responsibility.
Lectures on unit administration, command duties, the CAS command philosophy, and an overview of current counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations will be covered during the two-day conference.