Yemi Obafemi
The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar has officially commissioned runway lights and state-of-the-art airfield facilities at the Kaduna Military Airfield.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Director of Public Relations and Information of Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal, Edward Gabkwet on June 15, 2024 stating that the commissioning took place on the night of Friday, 14 June 2024.
According to Gabkwet, the project revolutionizes pilots’ training practices, enhances safety protocols, and bolsters operational efficiency, thus signaling a new era in aviation standards in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
In his remarks at the brief ceremony for the commissioning of the runway lights, the CAS expressed profound pride and joy at witnessing the airfield’s transformation, despite previous attempts to modernize it.
He highlighted the airfield’s strategic importance, stating that the Kaduna Military Airfield, located within the NAF Base Kaduna, has been a major military stronghold since the Nigerian Civil War, hosting major operational units.
Abubakar said: “the inauguration of the new facilities will help eliminate challenges experienced during night flying operations and flying in low-visibility conditions which hinder sortie rates and achievements of objectives.
“With these upgrades, the NAF will experience a significant boost in agility, enabling increased sortie rates and seamless day and night operations against adversaries. Moreover, our resilience will be enhanced, allowing us to quickly recover from adverse weather conditions and fulfill national security requirements more effectively,”
He also assured Nigerians of a marked difference in the fight against terrorism and other forms of criminality in the Northwest and beyond.
Speaking further, Abubakar commended of NAF engineers, technicians, and support staff for their dedication on the project and acknowledged the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s visionary leadership, which he said has inspired transformative advancements in the NAF and national development.
A day earlier, Air Marshal Abubakar had also commissioned the new Base Defence Coordination Centre as well as the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Workshop among other notable projects, as part of efforts to meet the defence and security needs of Nigeria.
