The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has commenced airlift missions to transport relief materials to victims of the recent flood disaster in Maiduguri and its surrounding communities in Borno State.
A statement by the NAF Deputy Director of Public Relations and Information, Group Captain Kabiru Ali, said the airlift was conducted in fulfilment of NAF’s statutory role of Military Aid to Civil Authority (MACA).
He said the materials lifted were donated by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) aimed at alleviating the suffering caused by the flood, which has disrupted daily life, destroyed properties, and displaced millions of residents.
“The airlift missions, which commenced on 14 September 2024, had the first batch of the relief items, comprising 300 bags of 50kg rice, successfully delivered to NAF Base Maiduguri via the NAF C-130 Hercules aircraft,” he stated.
He said the Air Component Commander, Air Commodore U.U. Idris, received the materials and handed them over to the Borno State’s Commissioner for Inter-Governmental and Special Duties, Alhaji Tukur Ibrahim, who was accompanied by the Comptroller of the Nigerian Customs Service, MD Malah.
He noted that additional heavy-duty trucks provided by the NAF were used to transport the materials to the Borno State Government House for onward distribution to the victims.
Earlier, NAF had launched a medical outreach program to support flood victims, in addition to the feeding of over 2,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
This initiative includes the provision of medications, food, and water supplies to help mitigate the effects of the flood and address the urgent needs of the affected population.
“The NAF’s airlift mission and medical outreach are part of a broader effort to support national disaster response initiatives and highlight the critical role of military assets in humanitarian crises,” he noted.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has directed that the operations be continued as needed, ensuring that both relief materials and medical aid reach all affected areas.
The statement added that the NAF will persistently collaborate with other security agencies to mobilise human and material resources for the support of flood victims.
“The operations will be sustained as long as necessary to ensure that relief effectively reaches those affected by the disaster,” the NAF deputy spokesman added.
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