The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has trained 435 personnel of Initial Officers’ and Basic Airmen/Airwomen Sundry Military Courses, comprising 75 officers and 360 airmen/airwomen, at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar said the current leadership of the NAF was determine to ensure human capacity development for enhanced professional performance.
He said the training was to ensure that NAF personnel possess the requisite knowledge and skill sets to effectively support NAF operations.
The CAS expressed satisfaction that AFIT was able to successfully complete the training of 760 personnel during the year, including the 435 graduating students, despite the COVID-19 Pandemic.
He said that the technical and logistics management courses conducted by AFIT had helped to reduce dependence on expatriates and thus save foreign exchange for the Nation.
Air Marshal Abubakar added that recently 24 Special Forces (SF) personnel qualified as rappelling instructors, while another 219 Regiment personnel commenced training at the Regiment Training Centre Annex in Bauchi to become NAF SF personnel.
The Commandant of AFITsaid that the basic courses were aimed at introducing the officers and men to their various trades in preparation for deployment to the field.
According to him, the skills acquired at the training would enable them carry out their responsibilities at the basic level while they ready themselves for more specialized functions as they progress in their careers.
