A team of military personnel from the UK have arrived Nigeria to train a battalion of Nigerian Air Force officers and airmen on counter-terrorism and asset protection operations.
Speaking at the commencement of the training at the Air Force Base, Mando in Kaduna State, the Air Officer Commanding Training Command, Air Vice Marshal Christopher Okoye said the initiative was aimed at training Air Force personnel on asset protection and regimentation.
“The Chief of the air staff recently opened so many bases and also acquired so many assets so there is need for the Nigerian Air Force to protect assets, that is why we brought in British partners to train our regimen personnel on how to protect our air assets, that is why they are here to assist us in capacity building.”
The training according to him, will involve field and academic exercises as part of strategies to improve skills and capacity of Air Force personnel.
The UK Military team leader, Air Commodore John Riss explained that the partnership between the UK military and Nigeria’s Armed Forces was borne out of the commitment of the present administration in waging war against global terrorism and violent extremism.
“We can start by saying that the UK apportions a high degree of importance on supporting Nigeria in capacity building. We are trying to create a bespoke force for a bespoke task in training the Nigerian Air Force regiment,” he said.
