In a bid to further enhance its capacity to tackle contemporary challenges, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has charged the Nigerian Air Force to expand its collaboration with the academia, think-tanks and further earn the confidence of the nation and the respect of the international community.
This is in addition to what the Force is already doing leveraging internal capacity to innovate and deploy emerging technologies for its operations.
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According to a statement by his media aide, Laolu Akande, Prof Osinbajo stated this while speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the Ceremonial Parade and Induction Ceremony organised as part of activities marking the 59th Anniversary of the Nigerian Air Force in Enugu over the weekend.
“I am aware, from discussions with the Chief of Air Staff, that collaborations with our universities and research institutes are growing. There is a great amount of potential waiting to be unleashed from these partnerships.
“I, therefore, charge you to continue to work to earn the confidence of the nation and the respect of the international community, as you protect lives and property, neutralizing all existing and emerging national security threats.
“I would like to urge greater cooperation and mutual trust between the various arms of the Armed Forces, even while maintaining the healthy spirit of competition that underpins innovation and increased efficiency,” the VP added.
Continuing, he said, “This must be situated within the general context of a greater emphasis on local capacity-building by the Nigerian Armed Forces, with developments like the establishment of a Nigerian Army University and the revitalization of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) serving as testaments to this renewed emphasis.”
Commending the management team of the Air Force for its recent accomplishments Osinbajo praised the farsightedness of the Chief of Air Staff which “was instrumental to the renewed focus and self-reliance in the Nigerian Air Force.”
According to him, “We are seeing an Air Force that is increasingly confident about its ability and capacity to innovate and to deploy locally developed technology.”
Speaking further about boosting the operational capacity of NAF and other Forces, the VP noted that “it is an irreducible minimum and should always be the main responsibility of all legitimate governments.”
According to him, “The resolve of our Armed Forces and the invaluable contributions of other security agencies in fully containing the security challenges in some parts of the nation are noted and commended.”
Osinbajo then highlighted the federal government’s commitment to prioritising professionalism in the military since the assumption of the Buhari administration in 2015.
From Enugu, the vice president proceeded to Bayelsa State where he joined other dignitaries to attend the funeral service for Pa Abraham Diri, the father of Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, held at the St. Peters Anglican Church Sampou, Bayelsa State.
The vice president was received on arrival at the Yenagoa Airport by the deputy governor, Mr Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo and other state government officials.
In his remarks, the VP noted that the celebration of the life and times of Pa Diri by Nigerians from different walks of life was a testimony to the fact there is profit in all honest and diligent labour.
According to him, the late Pa Diri “was an exemplary teacher, public servant, lay reader in the church and community leader, when he was teaching here in Sampou and I also believe in Ekeremor LGA, and other places in Delta State where he taught and impacted lives and brought up the children of so many, nurturing the promises and aspirations of thousands of young men and women.”