Redouble Your Efforts to End Insecurity, Defence Minister Charges Newly Decorated Air Vice Marshals, Commodores, Others

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

Minister of State for Defence, Mohammed Matawalle, has charged newly promoted senior officers of the Nigerian Air Force to redouble efforts in the discharge of their duties and quickly end all security threats confronting the nation.
Matawalle gave the charge at a ceremony where 22 Air Commodores promoted to the rank of Air Vice Marshal and 16 Group Captains elevated to the rank of Air Commodore were decorated with their new ranks.
The minister noted that the nation was passing through challenging times.
He said the government and the good people of Nigeria will expect nothing short of professionalism and the best efforts with commensurate outputs on the part of the military.
“We must, therefore, review our strategies, techniques, tactics and procedures to contain these challenges and assure our fellow citizens of their security and safety”, he said.
Matawalle said that their promotion came with greater expectations and responsibilities.
“Therefore, while the fanfare and jubilations continue, do not lose sight of the ongoing fight against terrorism, banditry and all other forms of criminality.
“Invariably, your mandate as generals is to successfully execute all such operations necessary to preserve national security and territorial integrity”, he said.
“It is expected that with your upliftment to the ranks of Air Commodore and Air Vice Marshal, you will redouble your efforts to discharge your duties so we can quickly end all security threats to our dear nation.”
He said the Tinubu administration was poised to provide the armed forces as well as other security agencies with the necessary resources to ensure a peaceful, safe and prosperous nation.

The minister further charged the officers of air rank in the services to lead from a more holistic and strategic perspective, having garnered experience and an enormous amount of training.
“The service and indeed, the entire nation rely on you to utilise all the knowledge, wisdom, ingenuity and critical thinking capabilities you have gathered over the years to move the Nigerian Air Force to higher heights and foster a peaceful and greater Nigeria”, he said.
In his remarks, the Chief of the Air Staff, (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, said promotion was granted in recognition of hard work, commitment and diligence.
He asserted that it “also places added responsibilities on those so recognised especially as our country is faced with current and emerging security challenges associated with an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment.”
He maintained that “with enormous investment in your training and exposures, they must put on your thinking caps and chart workable strategies in the quest to transform the Nigerian Air Force into an agile and resilient force that effectively meets the air power demands of national security in all operational environments.
“You must ensure that the Nigerian Air Force records outstanding results in every area of competence and translate to successes in the various theatres of operation with resultant improved security for our people across the country.
“You must remember that we cannot afford to fall short of the expectations of all Nigerians. I therefore urge you to remember that failure should never be an option so long as your determination to succeed remains strong”.