The federal government has acquired 30 aircraft to intensify the anti-terror war.
It is also expecting 12 brand new aircrafts, especially six helicopter gun-shoots to prosecute the battle.
The Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar, disclosed these yesterday in Kano.
Air Marshal Abubakar, who relocated to the North-West and North-East in deference to President Buhari’s directives, spoke during the commissioning of a multi-billion naira modular theatre at the 465 Nigeria Air Force hospital, Kano.
According to him: “In the last three and half years, the federal government has procured and released 18 brand new aircrafts to the Nigeria Air Force.
“We are also hoping to get 12 brand new aircrafts from the United States of America.
“In addition, we are also hoping to get six brand new helicopter gun-shoots from Italy.
“So, I think from what we have seen in terms of support, every officer, air-man and air-woman in the Nigeria Air Force has every reason to put in his or her best in order to ensure that Nigeria is secured.”
While inaugurating the Modular Theatre, he said, “in with the Nigeria Air Force tradition of giving back to her host community, I want to direct that the Commander should open the facility to all civilians.
“This gesture will, no doubt, go a long way in improving the quality of healthcare delivery in these communities.
“I was conducted round our hanger where we saw some technicians that are working to bring back three of our aircrafts that are being reactivated.
“And the second part of it is commissioning of the Modula Theatre.
“Our desire is to have a professional Air Force, an Air Force that has the right structure and an Air Force that has equipment such as the platforms that have been acquired for us; and then, an Air Force that takes care of the welfare of the personnel and that is where this Modula Theatre comes in.”
NAF Chief of Medical Services, Air Commodore M.E. Sha’aibu, said with the launching of the new theatre, “injured personnel from the theatre of operation in the North-East can be evacuated to this hospital, stabilized and treated.”
Sha’aibu added that the new theatre with state-of-the-art equipment comprises of a reception, lecture hall, common and recovery rooms, offices, two operating suites.