NAF Deploys Surveillance Aircraft for Election Monitoring

NAF Deploys Surveillance Aircraft for Election Monitoring

Ahead of the rescheduled 2019 General Elections, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar has met with Headquarters Nigerian Air Force (HQ NAF) Principal Staff Officers and Air Officers Commanding (AOCs) of the 6 NAF Field Commands. The meeting was aimed at further sensitizing the PSOs and AOCs on the need to ensure that all NAF personnel remain apolitical whilst carrying out their duties of providing necessary support to the lead agency, the Nigeria Police, along with other civil security agencies, in ensuring peaceful conduct of the General Elections.

The meeting also provided avenue for the CAS to be briefed on the emergency contingency plans of the 6 Commands for their Areas of Responsibility (AORs) as well as the deployment of NAF aircraft assigned for support operations during the Elections, including surveillance aircraft that would be deployed to potential flashpoints to provide real-time imagery intelligence that would be streamed live to the HQ NAF Situation Room as well as Command Situation/Operations Rooms across the country.

Air Marshal Abubakar used the opportunity to again remind the PSOs and AOCs to ensure that NAF Personnel are professional and decisive in the discharge of their duties. He also urged them to work very closely with other security agencies to ensure that no individual or group of individuals undermine the electoral process. He noted that Commanders would be held personally responsible for any lapses. The CAS reiterated that personnel must remain apolitical and sternly resist any entreaties by unscrupulous and self centered individuals who are more concerned about their personal interests than the nation’s interests. He implored the PSOs and AOCs to ensure that subordinate Commanders remain focused on the discharge of their assigned tasks, whilst encouraging their personnel not on essential duties to exercise their legitimate rights to vote.

The general public is to please be assured that the NAF, working in conjunction with the Nigeria Police and other security agencies, would ensure the safety and security of all Nigerians before, during and after the elections. All eligible voters are therefore encouraged to come out in mass to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights to vote for the candidates of their choice on election days.

IBIKUNLE DARAMOLA
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
Nigerian Air Force