The Sunday News
The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has said Boko Haram insurgents have been surrendering in large number due to the reinvigorated military onslaught by troops of the “Operation Zaman Lafiya Dole.” He made this known yesterday at a press conference to kick-start activities for the 52nd anniversary of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) themed: “Reuniting for enhanced service delivery and operational effectiveness.”
“Looking at where we are coming from, I think we have done substantially well. In those days in 2014, you had convoys of vehicles moving round villages and killing Nigerians but it is no longer so,” he said.
“Many of them are surrendering in large numbers, we have seen that they are surrendering because they know that there is no escape,” the CAS stated.
Abubakar said the NAF provides air power for Operation Lafiya Dole in the North-East, Safe Haven in the North-Central, Pulo Shield in the South-South, Awatse in the South-West and Sharan Daji in the North-West.
He said under his watch NAF has conducted 1 577 missions totalling 3 424 flying hours in Operation Lafiya Dole which he noted attested to the capacity of the air force to simultaneously undertake various operations.
“These missions have been behind the success we have recorded in the North-east and other parts of the country where these operations are conducted,” the CAS stressed. — Online
