• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
    • Government
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
    • Chinese nationals jailed in Lagos

      Court Jails Nine Chinese Nationals for Cybercrime in Lagos

      ASUU

      Tackle Corruption, Institutional Decay – ASUU Charges FG

      EFCC Arraigns Bauchi Accountant General Over N8bn Fraud as Court Sentences…

      PRNigeria logo fearured image

      EFCC Arraigns Ex-Convict, Other for Naira Abuse in Lagos

      EFCC Arrests 37 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Ilorin

  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
    • Acting Controller General of Customs, Nigerian Customs Services, NSC, Ag. CG Bashir Adewale Adeniyi

      Customs Exposes Scam Over Form M Migration to B’Odogwu Platform

      CBN

      The Facts About Nigeria’s Debts Burden Under Tinubu’s Watch By Zekeri…

      Ibrahim Yahaya Dandakata of Arewa Economic Forum AEF

      AEF Slams CBN’s New BDC Policy, Cites Threat to Northern Economy…

      Google Search Tech Digest

      7 Smart Google Search Tips That Will Save You Hours By…

      U.S. VISA

      REVEALED: Why US Reduced Visa Validity for Nigerians to 3 Months…

  • National
    • Late President Muhammadu Buhari

      The Passing of a Mighty Warrior by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode

      Secretary to the Government of the Federation

      SGF Akume Leads Presidential Committee for Buhari’s State Funeral

      Late President Muhammadu Buhari

      Northwest Governors Mourn Buhari, Declare Tuesday Public Holiday

      FG Declares Tuesday Public Holiday in Honour of Late Ex-President Buhari

      Yahaya Bello Mourns Passing of Buhari and Awujale of Ijebuland

    • Government
      • Kano Gov Appoints Yusuf Sharada Special Adviser on Digital Economy

        Kogi SEMA To Establish Emergency Operation Centre

        Late President Muhammadu Buhari

        The Passing of a Mighty Warrior by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode

        Secretary to the Government of the Federation

        SGF Akume Leads Presidential Committee for Buhari’s State Funeral

        Late President Muhammadu Buhari

        Northwest Governors Mourn Buhari, Declare Tuesday Public Holiday

  • Security
    • Kogi SEMA To Establish Emergency Operation Centre

      Police Arrest 6 Suspected Armed Robbers in Benue, Recover Firearm, Motorcycle

      Police Officer

      Police Arrest Suspects for Human Trafficking, Rescue Victims in Anambra, Enugu,…

      Police Raid IPOB/ESN Enclave, Arrest 6 Suspects in Enugu

      NDLEA Logo

      NDLEA Arrests Notorious Drug Kingpin, Uncovers Cocaine, Destroys Over 28,000kg Skunk…

  • Features
    • Late President Muhammadu Buhari

      The Passing of a Mighty Warrior by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode

      President Muhammadu Buhari

      Buhari in his Own Words By Kabir Akintayo

      Fame, Fortune, and Fallout: The Peller Paradox By Haroon Aremu Abiodun

      Officers of NSCDC Mining Marshals

      Alake’s Verdict on Mining Marshals By Abdullahi O Haruna Haruspice

      CBN

      The Facts About Nigeria’s Debts Burden Under Tinubu’s Watch By Zekeri…

  • State
    • Kano Gov Appoints Yusuf Sharada Special Adviser on Digital Economy

      Kogi SEMA To Establish Emergency Operation Centre

      Police Arrest 6 Suspected Armed Robbers in Benue, Recover Firearm, Motorcycle

      Police Officer

      Police Arrest Suspects for Human Trafficking, Rescue Victims in Anambra, Enugu,…

      Late President Muhammadu Buhari

      UPDATE: Buhari’s remain for burial Tuesday 2pm – Gov Radda

  • Event
    • Late President Muhammadu Buhari

      Northwest Governors Mourn Buhari, Declare Tuesday Public Holiday

      Late President Muhammadu Buhari

      UPDATE: Buhari’s remain for burial Tuesday 2pm – Gov Radda

      Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Suleja

      NIPOST Appoints Ibrahim Musa Suleja Director of Corporate Communications

      Asiwaju Adegboyega Solomon Awomolo

      47 Years of Excellence: Honoring Asiwaju Awomolo, SAN

      NCoS inmates

      58 Inmates in Kano Sit for 2025 NECO Exams, Thanks to…

    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Home Features Women’s Day: Air Marshal Abubakar and the Women of War
  • Features
  • Security

Women’s Day: Air Marshal Abubakar and the Women of War

By
Yushau A. Shuaib
-
March 8, 2019
NAF Women of War
NAF Women of War

Air Marshal Abubakar and the Women of War
By Yushau A. Shuaib

NAF Women of War
NAF Women of War

Neither clients of plastic surgeons nor make-up artists, their natural beauty delights the eye in their smartly dressed military wear… Though innocent looking, pure and enticing, they remain feminine, while their line of duty is the traditional masculine career of fearless and courageous souls. They are the Nigerian Women of War in the Nigerian Airforce (NAF).

This writeup is a tribute to mark the International Women’s Day by examining the roles our women are playing in national security.

I have met some of them on the field and they were the topic of discussion at a recent interaction with the twentieth Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, when he disclosed that the trained female air combatants, known as Women of War, are engaged in active military operations, fighting Boko Haram terrorists in North-East, combating armed bandits in North-West, and other criminal elements in other parts of Nigeria.

Since his appointment as CAS on July 13, 2015, Air Marshal Abubakar has engaged in the massive recruitment of officers, airmen and airwomen, with heavy investment in capacity building, training and retraining of personnel.

NAF Women of War
NAF Women of War

The female warriors, like their male counterparts, are not only trained locally but some of them attended the best military academies in the world. Apart from those who have returned from training and are currently active in the frontlines, one of the warriors is currently undergoing intensive training in the United States of America to become a female fighter pilot, while another is in South Africa training to become a helicopter gunship pilot.

The trained female personnel, like their male counterparts, have neutralised insurgents during airstrike missions, provided close air support, air interdiction, in-theatre liaison flights, casualty evacuation, as well as logistics re-supply of ammunition, water, food, and medicine. In a nutshell, they have provided tactical support for the ground troops.

NAF Women of War
NAF Women of War

Some of the female air officers fly sophisticated fighter planes and control operation rooms used in gathering intelligence, carrying out surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) activities. Apart from the pilots, a number of the women of war are also experienced ammunition loadmasters, aircraft maintenance engineers, aerospace engineers, armament specialists, squad leaders, combatants, military policewomen, and air traffic controllers, among other specialisations.

The Women of War evolved mostly from the massive recruitment and training exercises conducted in the last three years under Air Marshal Abubakar, resulting in the engagement of 7,522 young airmen/airwomen, 400 young graduate-officers, and 95 winged pilots in the Nigerian Air Force.

Read Also:

  • Kano Gov Appoints Yusuf Sharada Special Adviser on Digital Economy
  • Kogi SEMA To Establish Emergency Operation Centre
  • The Passing of a Mighty Warrior by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode

Air Marshal Abubakar Sadiq after media intercation
Air Marshal Abubakar Sadiq after media intercation

In addition to making the NAF a gender-sensitive service that encourages its personnel to explore their potentials without inhibition in the armed forces, Air Marshal Abubakar ensured that senior officers on managerial levels are trained in other fields of relevance beyond their core fields of specialisation. For instance, when he appointed AVM Adesanya and later Air Commodore Daramola as spokespersons of the force, he ensured that the officers attended specialised and advanced practical communication programmes organised by the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) and the African Public Relations Association (APRA), among other capacity-building institutions to become members of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) as required by law. Therefore, their practical PR skills, acquired through advanced training rather than academic theories, have helped the officers to reposition the service and boost its reputation to the public admiration.

To ensure the trained and recruited personnel are engaged in relevant fields, the service has recorded remarkable achievements in the acquisition of new platforms and establishment of new operational offices across the country. The NFA’s structure has been expanded through the establishment of a Special Operations Command in Bauchi, a Ground Training Command in Enugu, and the establishment of new Regiment Groups in Gembu, Taraba State; Ipetu Ijesha, Osun State; Owerri, Imo State, and Agatu, Benue State. New Units have equally been established in Plateau, Katsina, Gombe, Zamfara State, and Nasarawa States.

NAF Women of War
NAF Women of War

It is to the credit of the CAS that NAF fleets of aircraft have recorded unprecedented growth with the purchase of 16 brand new aircrafts, the reactivation of 13 previously grounded aircrafts, the release of funds for the purchase of 12 Super Tucano aircrafts from America and five attack/utility helicopters from Italy. The NAF currently has in its arsenals Alpha Jets, Super Mushshak aircrafts, Mi-35M helicopters, gunships, Bell 412 helicopters, Tsaigunmi UAV, among others.

Meanwhile, apart from improving the welfare of personnel through the provision of befitting accommodation and a conducive environment, the service has expanded its Post-Service Housing Programme to address the shelter needs of officers and airmen/airwomen as they prepare for retirement.

Nigerians in host communities are also beneficiaries of the magnanimity of the Nigerian Airforce, which just completed another new 60-bed NAF Reference Hospital in the North-East and upgraded equipment at its various medical centres, while also constructing new secondary schools and adding blocks of classrooms and hostel accommodations in existing NAF schools across the country.

It was therefore not surprising that the NAF in the last three-and-a-half years under the Air Chief Sadique Abubakar has conducted medical outreaches that treated 479,921 patients as at December 2018. The NAF’s school feeding programme for over 1,000 school children has, more so, greatly contributed to the number of pupils who have returned to school in the area.

Yushau A. Shuaib
Author, An Encounter with the Spymaster
www.YAShuaib.com

VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa/
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
  • TAGS
  • Air Marshal Abubakar Sadique
  • NAF
  • Women of War
Previous articleNigerian Army Redeploys Senior Military Officers
Next articleAgain, EFCC Nabs More Internet Fraudsters in Ibadan
Yushau A. Shuaib
Yushau A. Shuaib
https://prnigeria.com/

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Kogi SEMA To Establish Emergency Operation Centre

Late President Muhammadu Buhari

The Passing of a Mighty Warrior by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode

Police Arrest 6 Suspected Armed Robbers in Benue, Recover Firearm, Motorcycle

FG Declares Tuesday Public Holiday in Honour of Late Ex-President Buhari

Police Officer

Police Arrest Suspects for Human Trafficking, Rescue Victims in Anambra, Enugu, Edo

President Muhammadu Buhari

Buhari in his Own Words By Kabir Akintayo

PHOTOS: Shettima, Gbajabiamila Arrive London to Bring Buhari’s Body Home for Burial

Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida IBB and Late Muhammadu Buhari

Full Text of IBB’s Tribute to Late President Muhammadu Buhari

Late President Muhammadu Buhari

Tinubu Mourns Buhari, Orders 7 Days of National Mourning, Full State Honours

Fame, Fortune, and Fallout: The Peller Paradox By Haroon Aremu Abiodun

President Muhammadu Buhari

Tinubu Orders Shettima to Accompany Buhari’s Remains Home, Orders Flags at Half-Staff

President Muhammadu Buhari

JUST IN: Former President Muhammadu Buhari Passes Away  in London

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Log in to leave a comment

Recent Posts

  • Kano Gov Appoints Yusuf Sharada Special Adviser on Digital Economy
  • Kogi SEMA To Establish Emergency Operation Centre
  • The Passing of a Mighty Warrior by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode
  • SGF Akume Leads Presidential Committee for Buhari’s State Funeral
  • Police Arrest 6 Suspected Armed Robbers in Benue, Recover Firearm, Motorcycle
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
Latest News
Kano Gov Appoints Yusuf Sharada Special Adviser on Digital EconomyKogi SEMA To Establish Emergency Operation CentreThe Passing of a Mighty Warrior by Chief Femi Fani-KayodeSGF Akume Leads Presidential Committee for Buhari’s State FuneralPolice Arrest 6 Suspected Armed Robbers in Benue, Recover Firearm, MotorcycleNorthwest Governors Mourn Buhari, Declare Tuesday Public HolidayFG Declares Tuesday Public Holiday in Honour of Late Ex-President BuhariJUST IN: FG Declares Tuesday Public Holiday to Honour BuhariWalson-Jack Inaugurates Editorial Team for Civil Service Legacy BookPolice Arrest Suspects for Human Trafficking, Rescue Victims in Anambra, Enugu, EdoCustoms Exposes Scam Over Form M Migration to B’Odogwu PlatformUPDATE: Buhari's remain for burial Tuesday 2pm - Gov RaddaYahaya Bello Mourns Passing of Buhari and Awujale of IjebulandBuhari in his Own Words By Kabir AkintayoPHOTOS: Shettima, Gbajabiamila Arrive London to Bring Buhari’s Body Home for Burial
X whatsapp