By Longtong Ibrahim
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has established two new Commands and a Branch aimed at enhancing the projection of air power.
The two new Commands established are the Air Training Command (ATC) with Headquarters in Kaduna and Ground Training Command (GTC) with Headquarters in Enugu.
NAF’s spokesperson, Olatokunbo Adesanya, said the new commands were excised from the now defunct Training Command (TC) thereby bringing the total number of Commands in the NAF to six.
According to him, the ATC will be responsible for the implementation of policies on flying and air operations while the GTC will be responsible for the implementation of local ground training. He added that, the newly established Branch is known as Communications Branch, unbundled from the former Logistics and Communications Branch which brings the number of NAF branches to 10.
“The new Branch would handle all the needs of the NAF, with regards to communications, electronics, radar maintenance, Information and Space Technology,” he noted.
Sequel to this development, the NAF has redeployed a total of 58 officers comprising 25 Air Vice Marshals (AVM), 20 Air Commodores, five Group Captains, one Wing Commander, four Squadron Leaders, two Flight Lieutenants and one Flying Officer.
Among those posted to Defence Headquarters are AVMs Wakili Ahmed, Defence Policy and Plans; Ibrahim Umaru, Director Safety and Manual; Benjamin Nweze, Director, Civil-Military Relations; Eche Agwungwu, Director Space; Bernard Chiobi, Director of Operations and Onyemaechi Osahor, Director General Defence Research Production Bureau.
Senior Officers posted within HQ NAF include AVMs Nurudeen Balogun who is now Chief of Training and Operations; Muhammadu Muhammed, Chief of Policy and Plans; Charles Otegbade, Director of Plans; Olusoji Awomodu, Director of Museum and Archives; Sani Ahmed, Director of Policy; Muhammad Abdul-Wahab, Air Secretary; Kingsley Lar, Chief of Standards and Evaluation; Napoleon Bali, Director of Training; Christian Dii, Managing Director Aircraft Engineering and Technical Services Limited; Abdulganiyu Olabisi, Chief of Aircraft Engineering; Charles Oghomwen, Chief of Communications; Cletus Udeagulu, Director Research and Development, and Paul Dimfwina, Director of Evaluation.
Similarly, the newly appointed Air Officers Commanding are AVMs Samson Akpasa, Ground Training Command, Enugu; Saddiq Kaita, Special Operations Command, Bauchi; and Mohammed Idris, Tactical Air Command, Makurdi.
