By Evelyn Usman

The Nigerian Air Force, NAF yesterday said it was carrying out ‘air reconnaissance missions’ around the Niger Delta region, where militants recently blew up an offshore oil facility belonging to Chevron Nigeria, with a view to having a good picture of activities going on in the region.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar disclosed this while commissioning officers’ residential accommodation at the 105 Communications Depot, in Shasha area of Lagos State.

He noted that the renewed activities of some ‘criminals’ in the region had increased the security challenges there. But the CAS who was represented by the Air Officer Commanding, Logistic Command, Air Vice Marshal Mohammadu Mohammed, was quick to add that aside the air reconnaissance missions, NAF was also actively participating in joint operations with sister-services to put the situation in the troubled zone under control.

Aside the Niger Delta region, he stated that combat operations against insurgents and terrorists in the North eastern part of the country was still in progress, hinting that the Nigerian Air Force had remained a major player in carrying out aerial bombardment which he said led to the destruction of Boko Haram fighters’ camp as well as dislodging them from their strongholds within the Sambisa forest and adjourning enclaves.

But he revealed that another disturbing security challenge was the recurring clash between farmers and herdsmen in some parts of the country,which had led to loss of lives and properties. He however assured that the Nigeria Air Force in collaboration with sister services and other security agencies would continue to do their best to secure lives and property of the citizenry.