The Nigerian Military says it is updating tactics against the Boko Haram Sect, with the addition of 260 Aerospace Engineers that graduated from the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in Kaduna State to the Air Force.
At the passing out ceremony of the officials, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adeshola Amosun, told reporters that the Nigerian Air-force is changing and updating its tactics in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents in the North- East by reviewing its operations and re-training its personnel.
The Air Marshal said that the military was making significant progress in the war against the Boko Haram terrorist group.
He assured Nigerians that in no distant time, the Nigerian military would dislodge the insurgents.
On his part, the commandant of the institute, Air Vice Marshal Toni Adokwe, reeled out the achievements recorded so far, but said that the major challenge the school was facing was inadequate funding.
It was another moment of joy and fulfilment for the young men and women who have successfully completed their courses in various engineering fields at the institute as they filed out, one after another to receive their certificates from the guest of honour. Families and relatives were also on hand to witness the colourful ceremony.
While congratulating the graduating students, the chief of Air Staff reminded them not to betray the confidence reposed in them as they join their colleagues in the field. He expressed satisfaction with the achievements recorded so far by AFIT especially in the area of aeronautical engineering, stating that with proper funding, the institute will contribute its quota towards ending insurgency in the north-east and to technological development.
The guest of honour at the occasion and Nigeria’s Senate President, David Mark, who was represented by Senator Kabiru Marafa, commended the Nigerian Air-force for the role it had played so far in the maintenance of both internal and external security.
The institute is structured into three schools: School of Air Engineering, School of Ground Engineering and Management Studies and the School of Postgraduate studies, which coordinates the various postgraduate programmes in the other schools.
Since inception, it has graduated about 5,000 persons, including personnels of the Nigerian Army, Airforce and Navy and civilians. This number includes foreign students from the Armed Forces of the Republic of Benin, Zimbabwe, Niger, Ghana and Sierra Leone.
