NAF Prepares To Counter Terrorists At Airports, Device Plans

In its quest to curb possibilities of terrorist attacks at Nigerian airports, the Nigerian Airforce has staged various Counter terrorism simulation trainings inside the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The training involved Special Forces including Bomb disposal experts and the Regiment force with a Super Puma military Helicopter dropping airborne snipers from the air.

Speaking to Journalists, the Chief of AOR Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar disclosed that the exercise conducted in coalition with the Army, Navy, NSA office, NEMA among others, was a pro-active measure aimed at preparing special forces of the NAF for anyterrorist attacks on the nation’s airport in the future.

“This exercise is very significant because the regiment forces, quick response forces, are participating in this exercise. They were trained by the Nigeria Air Force using taxpayers money.

“What we want is to have a force that is actually going to be effective in the event of any problem in our airports. You can have all the training, you can have all the skills. Unless you are tested from time to time, you will not be able to know whether there will be gaps.

The chief informed that the essence of the exercise was to bridge all security gaps at the country’s airports, with the cooperation of other security agencies. He added that security measures must be evaluated from time to time to know whether there will be problems in real situations.

Abubakar extended appreciation to Airport authorities, all the government agencies including immigration, customs, FAAN who participated in the course.

He also said the exercise is expected to cover other Nigerian airports;Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano etc. from where special forces would be deployed to all parts of the country.

“We are not anticipating anything of such,” he said. This is just an exercise, it is very important that you evaluate your plan from time to time. Or else you might have some gaps in what you have put together. So this is not done because we are anticipating anything or any attack on our airports, no. If you have to do any without anticipating, then, it would be too late.”