Bauchi state governor, Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, has directed the Nigeria Air force (NAF) to as a matter of urgency carry out an air surveillance across the entire forests of the state to discover the hideout of criminals.
Bala lamented the recent activities of bandits in Toro, Ningi, Alkaleri and Tafawa Balewa local government areas of the state and expressed confidence that the joint operation by the Special Operation in collaboration with other security agencies would end bandits’ incursion in the state.
The governor gave the directive when the newly posted Officer Commanding Special Operation Command of Airforce in Bauchi, Air Vice Marshal E. E Effiong, paid him a courtesy visit at the Council Chambers, Government House, Bauchi on Thursday.
Bala said the Airforce special operation command has done so much towards the maintenance of peace in the state and stressed the need for the force to re-strategize its operations to tackle emerging security challenges.
He said his administration is doing everything possible to protect and safeguard the lives and property of the citizens through effective security management and pledged to give maximum support to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Special Operation Command to wipe out bandits in the state.
“The Special Operations has been doing well in terms of air surveillance, this visit is very significant because I have always been looking forward to meeting them. We have been almost overwhelmed by the preponderance of insecurity elements here and there by virtue of their operations in parts of the country.
“It is only auspicious for us to meet them (Nigeria Air Force) and thank them and give them our unalloyed support. What they are doing is very beneficial to us as an agrarian state where the people depend on subsistence farming,” he stated.
The governor noted that his administration has established a robust relationship with the NAF Special Operations, the police and other security agencies to address banditry and reiterated his commitment to ensure that security agencies in the state get all support to succeed in the task ahead.
Earlier, the Officer Commanding Special Operation Command of Airforce in Bauchi, Air Vice Marshal E. E Effiong, said the visit to Governor Bala Mohammed was to introduce himself as the newly posted officer commanding the Airforce special operation command and to thank him for his outstanding support to the Nigerian Air force.
