Killings: NAF deploys Special Forces to Southern Kaduna

Irked by the worsening security challenging plaguing the people Southern Kaduna, the Nigerian Air Force on Sunday deployed Special Forces operatives to the area.

The Defence Headquarters had earlier in the week deployed special forces to the area to check the activities of bandits who in recent times, had continued to unleash mayhem to hapless indigenes of the area.

The NAF special forces team, led by the Commander of the 403 Force Protection Group, Sq. Leader Richard Ngaro, was airlifted by a NAF Mi-171E helicopter from NAF Base Kaduna to Kafanchan, where they were received by the Commander Sector 7 of Operation Safe Haven, Col. David Nwakonobi.

Addressing the troops during the deployment, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who was represented by the Air Officer Commanding Air Training Command, Air Vice Marshal Musa Mukhtar, noted that the deployment was in line with DHQ Directives to beef up Operation Safe Haven.

The CAS, according to a statement by the NAF spokesman, Air Comm. Ibikunle Daramola, charged the SF personnel to maintain the high level of discipline that the NAF was known for.

The statement was titled, ‘Internal security: NAF deploys special forces to boost security in Southern Kaduna.’

Speaking to journalists, Mukhtar stated that the NAF SF were additional elements to augment the DHQ SF personnel already deployed to beef up Sector 7 of Operation Safe Haven in Southern Kaduna.

He said, “The deployment would last as long as necessary until peace is restored.

“We also have Operation Thunder Strike which is domiciled in Kaduna to take care of the North West axis, with the Air Component Commander coordinating the airpower aspect from Kaduna in support of ground operations in Southern Kaduna.”

He further disclosed that as part of efforts to enhance civil-military relations, a NAF medical team would arrive in Southern Kaduna in the next few days to conduct a medical outreach to provide healthcare services to displaced persons and others affected by the crisis.