WAR AGAINST TERRORISM: NAF Boosts Air Power Against Terrorists with Nine Fighter Jets

 

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has acquired nine new fighter jets – with these, terrorists and bandits are in for tough times.

 

According to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, forty-nine more fighter aircraft are expected to join the fleet, adding that these acquisitions will further expand the service’s capacity to execute complex missions and maintain momentum in the ongoing air operations.

 

Air Marshal Abubakar spoke during a lecture he delivered at the Air Force War College in Makurdi, Benue State, where he explained that NAF strikes killed 3,496 terrorists in the Northeast since June 2023, with more than 121,000 insurgents and their families surrendering to security forces.

 

Air Marshal Abubakar stressed that the targeted investments by the Tinubu Administration have significantly bolstered NAF’s operational capabilities, noting that last year, the NAF flew over 4,500 hours across 2,304 sorties, executing nearly 2,000 counterinsurgency missions.

 

Additionally, he said over 2,600 anti-banditry sorties were carried out, resulting in 4,670 hours of flight time, emphasizing that in support of efforts to combat economic sabotage, the NAF conducted 366 sorties targeting crude oil theft and illegal refining, amassing more than 1,450 hours of flight time.

 

The Chief of Air Staff said these figures are not mere statistics; they represent real missions, real risks, and real outcomes, adding that through the strategic deployment of both kinetic and non-kinetic air power, NAF have disrupted oil theft syndicates and secured critical infrastructure.

 

He cited recent data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission showing a 13% increase in crude oil and condensate production in the fourth quarter of 2024, attributing the growth to effective air operations and security collaboration.

 

Air Marshal Abubakar urged the next generation of Air Force leaders to embrace strategic command challenges.

 

Minister of Defense, Abubakar Badaru, and that of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, both commended NAF for stepping up the battle against insurgency.