Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has deployed an armed helicopter with force protection elements and other logistics support to Kafanchan in southern Kaduna, northern Nigeria, where Fulani herdsmen have been attacking communities.
“The deployment, which is at the instance of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, would complement the efforts of the surface forces already on ground to keep peace in the area.” Says a statement by its spokesperson, Olatokunbo Adesanya.
The statement further says “personnel and other supporting staff will operate from a newly established NAF Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Kafanchan and will be reinforced with the NAF Special Forces to protect lives and property towards stopping the incessant clashes in the area.
“The NAF also recently deployed air assets and personnel to Takum, Taraba State to maintain peace and provide air cover for the ground troops in the area. It is equally worthy of note that the NAF has made appreciable contributions in different theatres of operations across the country and has also extended its reach.
“The latest expansion was the commissioning of 213 FOB in Katsina and the Quick Response Wing (QRW) in Daura as part of its continued efforts to extend the reach of the NAF to the Northwest Geopolitical Zone thus reducing the NAF’s response time to crisis situations in the Zone,” the statement says
