The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) has commenced mass production of face masks and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to fight the coronavirus in the country.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, stated this on Friday while inaugurating a tailoring workshop and the newly reactivated Mi-35P attack helicopter at the 115 Special Operations Group in Port Harcourt.

The Federal Government recently appealed to tailors to commence the production of face masks to ease its shortages in the country.

According to Abubakar, the tailoring workshop is a replica of a similar centre in Kaduna used for the production of personnel uniforms.

He said: “The tailoring workshop is an initiative that we started mainly for the production of service uniforms for our personnel.

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“However, in response to the current emergency situation (COVID-19), the facility has commenced the production of face masks and PPE needed to protect Nigerians from the virus.

“I have directed that they (personnel) ensure that the PPE is certified by relevant agencies of government before they are deployed to our (NAF) hospitals and other hospitals.”

Abubakar said that NAF had also commenced production of Liquid Oxygen from its plant in Yola, Adamawa, for use by hospitals.

He said the force was also looking at other areas to support the federal government’s efforts to halt further spread of the virus in the country. (NAN)

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