The Nigerian Senate has declared that the one billion naira (N1b) appropriated by the Nigerian Air Force for personnel training in the 2021 budget is grossly inadequate.
Senator Mohammed Sani Musa representing Niger East while reacting to the 2021 budget appropriation of the Air Force during a budget defence at the national assembly on Tuesday in Abuja pointed out that the N1bn appropriated for personnel training in 2021 was grossly inadequate.
Consequently, the Senate Committee Chairman on Air Force, Sen Bala Ibn Na’allahmade among others resolved that the committee was going to join hands with the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar in sourcing for more funds for the training of personnel in 2021.
Senator Musa noted that training and re-training of personnel on counter-terrorism key to defeating insurgency in the country.
He advised that the senate should look into it and see how best they can help increase the budget of the Air Force to suit the present reality of things.
He also identified advancement in technology and research by Air Force officers as another key area the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiqu Abubakar must focus on in the bid to curb the activities of the criminal elements in the country.
Sani Musa however, commended the Chief of the Air Staff for the success of the operation Agama Aiki in his senatorial district in Niger state which he said has brought relative calm in the area, despite the recent attack in the area a few days ago.
“I want to on behalf of the people of my senatorial district in Niger East thanked the Chief of Air Staff for the successful operation in my state, specifically my senatorial district which until a few days ago has brought calm in the area. Yes I know we can’t flush the bad eggs in our system in a twinkle of an eye but I believe with the right training and retraining of your men I know you have the will to flush them out.
“Also, I want to demand for a unit of operation Agama Aiki in my senatorial district, it will go a long way to flush the remaining criminal elements in the area.
“If we want to be serious, we can redirect our resources to training and re-training of personnel and as well increase the use of technology in all we do. The world has gone digital in all aspects so are the insurgents and militants, therefore the only way to combat these people is to improve in our technology too;” he said.
Meanwhile, Senator Sani Musa sympathized with the CAS, Abubakar over the demise of Nigeria’s first-ever female combat helicopter pilot, flying officer Tolulope Arotile, who died on July 14, 2020, in a car accident.
Meanwhile, the Chief of the Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar said the lawmakers have greatly supported them in their recent successes in the fight against insurgency, bandits and kidnapping in the northeast and other parts of the country