Banditry: Air Force Deploys Air Assets to Sokoto

The Nigerian Air Force yesterday said more air assets, equipment and a detachment of Special Forces had been deployed to Sokoto State to boost anti-banditry operations and check other criminal acts in the area.

According to the spokesman of the Air Force, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, the deployment is aimed at adding value to the efforts to deal with the spate of insecurity in some parts of the state decisively.

He said in a statement: “The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) today, January 19, 2019, deployed a fighter aircraft, along with support equipment, and a detachment of Special Forces (SF) personnel to Sokoto to further boost anti-banditry operations in the North-west of the country under Operation Diran Mikiya.

“The deployment is aimed at adding value to the efforts to deal with the spate of insecurity in some parts of Sokoto State and the border areas between Zamfara and Sokoto States.

“Receiving the air assets, pilots and SF personnel, the Air Officer Commanding Tactical Air Command (AOC TAC), Air Vice Marshal Oladayo Amao, charged them to exhibit the highest sense of professionalism as they go about their task of securing communities whilst ensuring they deal decisive blows on the armed bandits.

“Also present to receive the personnel and equipment were the Commander Air Task Force Operation Diran Mikiya, Air Commodore Ayoola Jolasinmi, and the Commander 119 Forward Operating Base (119 FOB), Air Commodore Jibrin Usman.

“It may be recalled that, following an assessment visit to NAF units in Katsina, Zamafara and Sokoto States on 26 December 2018, the CAS had stated that facilities at the Sultan Abubakar III Airport would be upgraded to facilitate the deployment of NAF platforms and equipment to enable the conduct air operations from the Airport, for enhanced NAF response capability in support of the anti-banditry operations in the area”.