Defence Chief Hails Nigerian Military Officers for Peace in Liberia

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The Chief of Staff (COS), Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), Major General Prince Charles Johnson III, weekend showered encomiums on the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) for playing a vital role in the restoration of peace and stability in Liberia. 

He also paid glowing tributes to late Lt Gen LN Yusuf and Major General SA Abdurrahman, who served as the first and second COS of the new AFL before handing over to an indigenous COS.

Johnson gave the commendation and tributes when he visited the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor  at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.

He said that Nigeria and Liberia have had long standing defence and bilateral relations, admitting that, “today Liberia has witnessed seventeen years of relative peace and stability because of the sacrifices of men and women of the AFN, for which Liberia is ever grateful and indebted to Nigeria”. As an expression of Liberia’s depth of gratitude, he said, a befitting memorial was being planned to honour and immortalise the AFN in the annals of Liberia’s history especially, those who paid the supreme price with their lives to bring peace to Liberia.

Responding, the CDS, General  Irabor said the AFN remained proud to have actively participated in the restoration of peace, law and order to Liberia during the period of the country’s security challenges.

Irabor assured him  that the AFN will continue to render the needed support to AFL in building its capacity required to undertake the responsibilities of defending and securing Liberia.

Meanwhile, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao,  expressed the willingness of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to assist the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) in developing its airpower capability.

Represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal Charles Ohwo, the CAS stated that the NAF would provide the necessary  technical and engineering support towards ensuring the activation of Air Wing for the AFL.

While reassuring the CoS of NAF continued support to provide recurrency training for the only two existing AFL pilots, who were trained in Nigeria, Air Marshal Amao stated that the NAF would further assist in training pilots of AFL to ensure operationalisation of its air wing. 

“Whenever you have pilots for further training, be rest assured that our training schools are open for them to become full-fledged pilots under the Nigerian Air Force pilots training programme,”

he said.

He advised the AFL to take advantage of NAF’s technical and engineering schools for non-pilot courses such as the Air Traffic Control and ground support crew.

The CAS also noted that the NAF would support the AFL in providing airlift capability for AFL contingent to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission (MINUSMA) in Mali once the request is made.

In his remarks, Johnson stated that he was in Nigeria to further strengthen the bilateral ties between the AFL and AFN and to appreciate the AFN for its support to Liberia over the years especially during the civil war. 

While appreciating the “big brother” role of the AFN as the regional super power, the CoS added that the relative peace and stability being enjoyed by his country as well as her achievements were as a result of enormous support from Nigeria.

He noted that most of the NAF’s senior officers some of whom were still in service had sacrificed a lot in helping Liberia get back on track after the country’s devastating civil war.

Johnson further stated that presently, the country’s strategic military objective was to establish an Air Wing or Air Reconnaissance Unit for the AFL as prescribed by Liberian’s National Defence Act which is yet to be actualised.

He, therefore, solicited NAF’s technical assistance to facilitate the establishment of its air wing, considering NAF’s expertise in airpower.

He added that Nigeria’s military assistance to Liberia was numerous and cannot be over emphasised especially in the training of her pilots.

Accordingly, he requested NAF to continue to assist the country in providing training slots for pilot and non-pilot courses with a view to tapping from Nigeria’s vast experience in defence and security.