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NAF To Intensify Surveillance, Precision Attacks -CAS
The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, says future air warfare in the country will revolve around intelligence gathering, surveillance, rapid mobility, precision attack and use of unarmed aircrafts.
Abubakar stated this to newsmen shortly after presenting a lecture to participants of Senior Course 46 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) Jaji, yesterday.
The Tide source reports that the lecture was on “The Future of Air Warfare in the Nigerian Air Force – My Command Philosophy”.
The CAS said that the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) would deploy all assets and personnel to counter internal and external threats to national security.
He added that the NAF would intensify collaboration with other security services and engage in strategic alliance with other countries.
Abubakar said that strategic alliance was critical in achieving the set objectives of ensuring the security of the country.
“There is no service or nation that can do everything all by itself. There are a lot of strategies that can be derived from collaboration, joint operations and cooperation,” he added.
Abubakar noted that the armed forces had in the past not taken the advantages of the opportunities in jointness.
“The armed forces have woken up to realise the critical need for jointness in achieving set objectives of securing the country against adversaries,” he added.
The CAS said as part of strategic alliance, Nigeria would work with the Czheck Republic in the training of NAF personnel.
“Last week, we were in Czheck Republic in the effort to establish strategic alliances.
“Part of the results of the visit is that we will have the Czheck Air Force to train some of our pilots and also to establish high level maintenance facilities for us in Kano.
“We have also started such alliances with other countries such as Pakistan, China, Egypt and many other countries.
“I think that is the way, going forward, because there are several advantages to be derived from such collaborations and cooperations,” he said.
Abubakar believes that going forward, Nigeria would benefit immensely from such alliances.
The CAS said he had conducted assessment of the NAF operating environment, procedures, theatres of operations and establishments across the country.
He said that this enabled him to develop his command philosophy anchored on repositioning NAF to effectively meet the air power demand of national security in all operational environments.
“We also identified five key enablers that will drive the command philosophy which included optimisation of our force structure and establishments for enhanced operational effectiveness.”
Cross section of participants of Senior Course 46 at the AFCSC Jaji , yesterday.
The Air Chief added that other important key enablers of his command philosophy was the focus on research and development and use of technology.
He stressed that the NAF as a very technical force, needed to intensify research and development activities to not only maintain its facilities, but also fabricate appropriate ones to enhance national security.
“We realised that continous depending on foreign vendors for our defense needs, is bad for us, we therefore established a robust research and development organisation for us to go off the dependence.
“We have gone very far and achieved alot in terms of research and development and some of the products we have been able to come up with have been in use.
“We now have ownership of our technologies and we even produce and sell them commercially.
“We are in advanced stage of completely having a UAV that is fully produced and operated by NAF, among others. It is a work in progress.”
The CAS appreciated the AFCSC for providing world class training for officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Abubakar said he would continue to give priority to the training of NAF personnel so as to have a very efficient mission oriented force focused on protecting the country.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a Federal Executive Council committee to move swiftly on measures to further reduce food prices across the country.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, disclosed this in Abuja, on Wednesday.
According to him, the directive focuses on ensuring safe passage of farm produce across transport routes to cut logistics costs.
“The President has given a matching order with a Federal Executive Council committee already handling it on how we are going to promote safe passage of agricultural foods and commodities across our various routes in the country,” Abdullahi said at a capacity-building workshop for Senate correspondents.
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Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has faced worsening food insecurity since the removal of fuel subsidy, high transport costs, and insecurity on major highways disrupted the movement of goods.
Despite government interventions, food remains largely unaffordable for millions.
The minister said the plan is tied to Tinubu’s broader vision of food sovereignty—beyond availability to ensure affordability, accessibility, and nutrition on a sustainable basis.
To back this up, he revealed that government is set to roll out a Farmer Soil Health Scheme to boost productivity and a revamped cooperative reform initiative to mobilise resources and empower rural farmers.
“Mr. President has shown tremendous interest in the cooperative sector as a veritable tool for resource mobilisation, for economic activity generation, and to improve the livelihood of members,” Abdullahi added.
The event, with the theme, “Parliamentary Reporting: Issues, Challenges and Responsibilities,” also featured Senate Media Committee Chairman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu; ex-presidential aide, Senator Ita Solomon Enang; and NILDS DG, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman.
The Federal Government has warned contractors, including foreign firms, that any breach of regulations in road projects awarded to them may lead to arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, issued the warning during an inspection of the ongoing dualisation of the East-West Road (Section IIIA) from Eleme Junction to Onne Port Junction in Rivers State.
The section is being executed by Reynolds Construction Company (Nigeria) Limited.
Responding to questions from journalists, Umahi commended the quality of work on the project but expressed displeasure over the slow pace, stressing that the December completion deadline remains sacrosanct.
On the project, he said:“The quality of the work is excellent, but the pace of work is totally unacceptable. Let me make it very clear to the contractor that this project will neither be reviewed nor varied in price or claims.
“I’m sure we have issued over 10 warning letters to them. If they fail to comply with the completion deadline of December 15, we will not extend it.”
He added that the ministry had already put measures in place to enforce compliance
“The comptroller has negative certificates to issue, and I will recover the money from any of their other projects. All those letters are on record, and when the time comes, they will be invoked. Any contractor who refuses to abide by regulations will have the EFCC and ICPC to contend with,” he said.
Umahi further disclosed that the Federal Government had directed that road projects valued below N20bn would no longer be awarded to expatriate companies, in line with its “Nigeria First” policy aimed at strengthening indigenous capacity in the construction sector.
“This is part of the Nigeria First policy of the Federal Government. Henceforth, no expatriate firm will be awarded any project valued below N20bn. Such projects must go to indigenous companies, while expatriates focus on higher-value projects requiring more technical capacity,” he said.
The minister also noted that the Federal Ministry of Works had adopted a funding prioritisation framework to sustain road projects initially financed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme.
He stressed that President Bola Tinubu had directed that none of such projects should be abandoned, adding that priority would be given to critical economic corridors.
Umahi also decried the indiscriminate parking of heavy-duty vehicles on highways, saying it was damaging the pavements of completed sections of the road.
He said letters would be sent to state governors and the Inspector-General of Police to enforce punitive measures against defaulters.
Earlier, the Federal Controller of Works in Rivers State, Mrs Enwereama Tarilade, said RCC had completed 15km of the right carriageway and commenced work on the left carriageway, with one kilometre already laid in Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement.
The Rivers State Government says it will ensure the smooth and successful takeoff of the newly established Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET), in Ogoniland.
This commitment was made yesterday by the Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), during a courtesy visit by the university’s Governing Council and Management team at the Government House, in Port Harcourt.
The high-level delegation was led by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council, Professor Don Baridam and the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chinedu Mmom.
In his address, Administrator Ibas warmly congratulated the pioneer council and management on their appointments, describing their task as both a recognition of individual accomplishment and a historic call to duty.
“This is not just a recognition of your personal achievements but also a call to history to shape an institution that will have a profound impact on Rivers State, the Niger Delta, and indeed our country,” he stated.
The Administrator commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the establishment of the specialized university in Ogoniland, describing the initiative as “timely and strategic.”
He emphasized that the university’s presence offers a critical opportunity to drive research, innovation, and community-focused solutions to the region’s pressing environmental and developmental challenges.
He further noted that the university’s core focus aligns perfectly with the priorities of his administration.“We consider this university not merely as another institution of higher learning but as a strategic partner in our collective effort to rebuild Rivers State under the ongoing state of emergency and beyond,” he affirmed.
Responding to specific requests presented by the delegation, Administrator Ibas assured the university of immediate support in critical areas essential for the its commencement.
These include the provision of operational vehicles, key facilities, and the completion of the access road to the campus, adding that other vital needs, such as perimeter fencing, refuse disposal, and the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, would be addressed within the framework of the state’s broader infrastructure and support programmes.
To ensure swift action, the Administrator directed the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) to work closely with the university’s Governing Council to prioritize the sequence of requests, particularly those tied to the commencement of academic activities in September 2025.
“Let me assure you that Rivers State Government will stand as a dependable partner to the Federal University of Environment and Technology. We see this university as part of our long-term investment in knowledge, innovation, and the future of our youths,” he emphasized.
In his remarks, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Professor Don Baridam, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and community development.
He disclosed that the Federal Government has directed the institution to formally commence its academic session in September 2025, adding that preparations are in full swing to ensure a smooth take-off with adequate infrastructure and resources in place.
“Today’s meeting marks the beginning of a strategic partnership between the Rivers State Government and FUET, envisioned to establish the university as a premier hub for research, innovation, and sustainable development in the Niger Delta”, he said.
