It is with great pleasure, and gratitude to the Almighty, that I heartily wish all officers, airmen/airwomen and civilian staff of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) a Happy Eid-El-Fitr! I also wish to congratulate our Muslim faithful on the successful completion of the Ramadan fasting and pray that Almighty Allah accepts our worship and sacrifices whilst guiding us in our future endeavours as we strive to ensure the peace, security and development of our Great Nation.
I wish to particularly thank all NAF personnel for their patriotism, dedication and countless sacrifices made in the various Theatres of Operation. Your valuable contributions have ensured that aircraft and ancillary equipment are available, logistics requirements are in place, administrative necessities are met and personnel are combat-ready to tackle the challenges confronting the Nation. The commitment of Commanders and Supervisors at all levels has also facilitated higher standards of professionalism in the Service through robust, job-focused training; commitment to improving personnel welfare as well as result-oriented Research and Development (R&D), which have all had a marked positive impact on our operational effectiveness. I must also appreciate our dear families for their unquantifiable support and encouragement, which have enabled us carry on with our constitutional responsibilities more effectively.
It is gratifying to note also that our gallant fighter and helicopter gunship pilots as well as our Regiment and Special Forces personnel are adapting creditably to the threats facing our nation and are making good progress. This is critical to the NAF's increasing capacity for projection as well as protection of Air Power, which are the core functions for which the Service is uniquely positioned.
I therefore enjoin you all to redouble your efforts and engage the security challenges with rugged optimism and renewed determination, while remaining professional in the discharge of your constitutional duty of ensuring the security of our Beloved Nation and its Good People. You must be courageous, take the battle to all the adversaries of our Great Nation, be they terrorists, insurgents, bandits or any other criminal elements, in synergy with our Sister Services and other security agencies. Fight them to the finish, not minding the malicious propaganda of the terrorists and their sympathisers. You must also remember, in the course of your duties, to always operate within the ambits of extant local and international laws, while showing compassion and respect for all law-abiding citizens.
Importantly, in our celebration of this festive season, let us also take time to remember our colleagues who have paid the supreme price in service to our fatherland. We remember them today as always and restate our commitment to cater for the needs of their loved ones and those they left behind. Let their memories and deeds spur us on to a higher level of dedication that would ensure that their sacrifices were not in vain.
Finally, I once again wish you all and your families a Happy Eid-El-Fitr!
SB ABUBAKAR
Air Marshal
Chief of the Air Staff.
And the battle for the Iron Throne begins.
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