Dapchi Girls: Chief Of Air Staff Relocates To Maiduguri
Authorities of the Nigerian Air Force on Wednesday disclosed that the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has temporarily relocated to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Base at Maiduguri, from where the air search operations for the missing Dapchi girls are being coordinated.
“This is in order to have first hand information on the progress of the air search efforts and also give additional directives as might be necessary” the NAF said in a statement.
Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya in the statement said, “ The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mohammed Monguno was equally at the NAF Base Maiduguri, where he spoke to and encouraged the NAF personnel involved in the day and night air search operations. Responding to media reports earlier quoting the National Security Adviser saying that 100 hundred aircraft have been deployed for the search, AVM Adesanya said the number of sorties flown by the NAF was misconstrued for the number of aircraft.
He said, “The attention of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has been drawn to a statement being circulated to the effect that 100 NAF aircraft had been deployed in search of the missing Dapchi girls. “While paying a courtesy call on the Executive Governor of Yobe State, in company of the Chief of the Air Staff, on 27 February 2018, the National Security Adviser, Mohammed Monguno, indeed spoke about the number of sorties so far conducted by NAF aircraft in the course of searching for the missing girls within a stated period. “Obviously, the number of sorties does not equate the number of aircraft deployed”.
Furthermore, Adesanya said both the NSA and the CAS visited Damaturu, where they paid a courtesy call on His Excellency, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State, during which they held useful discussions regarding the missing girls.
“Later in the day, the NSA, accompanied by the CAS and other top military officers, travelled to Monguno to commission new projects at 171 NAF Detachment Monguno.
“The newly commissioned projects include the Unit’s Headquarters Complex, a block of 4 Single Officers’ Quarters, a block of 10 flats for airmen/airwomen and 2 helipads, all of which have just been constructed. “According to the Commander of the Air Task Force, Air Vice Marshal Idi Lubo at the commissioning, air power projection has limitations, one of which is reach.
He therefore expressed his delight, noting that with the commissioning of the projects at 171 NAF Detachment Monguno, the NAF had just extended the reach of its helicopters.
In his remarks at the commissioning ceremony, the CAS stated that the projects were undertaken in pursuit of the NAF’s commitment to ensuring security in the Northeast.
He added that the NAF would continue to deploy air assets in all parts of the country towards ensuring that Nigerians are able to prosecute their businesses in a safe and secured environment.
On the missing Dapchi girls, Air Marshal Abubakar declared that no efforts would be spared by the NAF in locating the girls, in conjunction with other security forces.
He disclosed that NAF pilots on different NAF platforms were operating day and night to locate the girls, adding that he had decided to temporarily relocate to Maiduguri, given the import of the unfortunate incident.
