Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, has urged the Nigerian Air Force to urgently carry out air surveillance across all forests in the state to check the hideouts of criminals.
The governor decried the recent activities of bandits in Toro, Ningi, Alkaleri and Tafawa Balewa local government areas of the state and expressed confidence that the joint operation by the special operation in collaboration with other security agencies would end bandits’ incursion in the state.
Governor Bala gave the directive yesterday when the newly posted officer commanding the Special Operations Command of the Airforce in Bauchi, Air Vice Marshal E. E. Effiong paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Bauchi.
He maintained that the Airforce special operation command has done so much towards the maintenance of peace in the state but stressed the need for the force to re-strategise its operations to tackle emerging security challenges.
He said his administration was doing everything possible to protect and safeguard the lives and property of the citizens through effective security management, pledging to give maximum support to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Special Operation Command to wipe out bandits in the state.
“The special operations team has been doing well in terms of air surveillance. This visit is very significant because I have always been looking forward to meeting them. We have been almost overwhelmed by the preponderance of insecurity elements here and there by virtue of their operations in parts of the country.
“It is only auspicious for us to meet them (the Nigeria Air Force) and thank them and give them our unalloyed support. What they are doing is very beneficial to us as an agrarian state where the people depend on subsistence farming,” he stated.
The officer commanding the Special Operations Command of Airforce in Bauchi, AVM Effiong said the visit to the governor was to introduce himself as the newly posted officer commanding the Airforce special operation command and to thank him for his outstanding support to the Nigerian Air Force.
