Nigerian Air Force to deploy Alpha fighter jets to the Niger Delta to combat militants

MILITARY commanders have taken the decision to send Nigerian Air Force (Naf) jet fighters into the Niger Delta in a desperate bid to flush out militants who have continued to blow up oil installations in the region.

 

Over recent months, militancy has returned to Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta with groups like the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) taking up arms and waging war against the government. Despite calls for negotiations, the NDA is still not fully committed to the peace process and there appears to be a split within its ranks about what to do.

 

Exasperated with the continued blowing up of pipelines that has cut Nigeria's oil output, the government has asked the Naf to deploy jet fighters to the region. Chief of air staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar has already inspected the newly weaponised Naf alpha jets that will be sent into the Niger Delta.

 

Air Marshal Abubakar said that the jets might move in soon but did not give a specific date and the number of troops to be mobilised for the crucial assignment. He explained that the mission of the Naf was to preserve Nigeria’s sovereignty and protect lives and property in the Niger Delta.

 

“Our mandate is to protect the sovereignty of Nigeria, so what we are doing is to protect oil infrastructure and the community. We are not going into the Niger Delta to fight militants or anybody but to protect oil facilities and the people as guaranteed by the constitution of Nigeria,” Air Marshal Abubakar added.

 

Meanwhile, Air Marshal Abubakar  added that Naf has continued daily missions over the 60,000-square metre Sambisa Forest in search of the Chibok girls. He added that Naf  is dedicated to identifying the possible locations of the missing girls and rescuing them.