The withdrawal of troops from Mali by the United Nations and Chad along with the pull out of Niger Republic from the Multi-National Joint Task Force fighting Boko Haram and ISWAP could aggravate security challenges in the Sahel Region, with influx of more weapons and terrorists into Nigeria.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abukabar who stated this in Abuja at a high level meeting of Commanders and Branch Chiefs adds that continues growth in the pattern of threats would likely occur, hence the Nigerian Air Force must be proactive and intensify efforts to secure the country.
The meeting between the Air Chief and top echelon of the Nigerian Air Force in Abuja is to discuss critical issues on the implications of the withdrawal of troops in some neighbouring countries in the Sahel Region which is negatively impacting Nigeria’s security and how to curtail the influx of more bandits and weapons
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Another concern, is the global and regional perspectives and the attendant impacts of the upsurge in coup detat and the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Republic from ECOWAS.
Others are the Russia-Ukraine war, the Hamas-Israel War and
Balancing bilateral relations with United States, China and Russia, that are all actively involved in Africa.
Air Marshal Hasan Abukabar who is also marking his first year since assuming office as Chief of the Air Staff, has reiterated that the Force alongside sister services remains committed to reinvigorating the fight against terrorism, insurgency, banditry and other security threats facing the country.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
