War on terror: Israel trains 450 special forces for NAF

By Kingsley Omonobi

Abuja — The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has approved the training of 450 regiment personnel as Nigerian Air Force, NAF, Special Forces by Israeli instructors in three batches.

The first batch was flagged off  last weekend, with the training taking place at the NAF Regiment Training Centre in Kaduna and is being conducted by ‘Four-Troop’, a reputable foreign military training organisation in Israel.

Director, NAF Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, who disclosed this, said: “The training is aimed at further developing the capacity of the personnel to fight under all types of terrains and weather conditions.

“At the end of the nine-week course, successful participants would be deployed to defend NAF air assets and bases as well as critical national infrastructure and assets like airports and oil installations, among others.  The special forces would also be required to take the battle to the adversaries whenever necessary.”

Speaking at the flag off of training of first batch of 150 personnel, Air Officer Commanding Ground Training Command, Air Vice Marshal Samson Akpasa, said: “A robust counter-force to respond to any contingency was vital in Nigeria’s contemporary security environment, which was characterised by insurgency, militancy, oil theft, cattle rustling, kidnapping and other vices.”

He added that as conflicts become more complex and diverse, a force multiplier unit, such as the special forces, would enable the tactical commander gain an upper hand in battle.

He, therefore, urged the trainees to be physically fit, mentally alert and psychologically sound in order to learn and assimilate instructions that would be passed to them in the course of their training programme.

AVM Akpasa then commended the foreign partners, especially the ‘Four-Troop’ company, for accepting to conduct the training.

Earlier, Commandant of the NAF Regiment Training Centre, Group Captain Isaac Subi, disclosed that the NAF Regiment Specialty was a blend of the Army Infantry and Artillery Corps.

Adesanya said: “The decision to invite the Israelis to conduct the training in Nigeria, in conjunction with other Nigerian instructors, rather than conducting the training overseas, is aimed at further developing the instructional capacity of NAF personnel, while also saving the nation additional expenses in foreign currency.”

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