Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, on Friday, commissioned the upgraded Water treatment plant for Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Tactical Air Command (TAC) Makurdi, Benue State.

With the commissioning, the total water capacity available for consumption at the base is raised to 1.35 million liters from the initial 900 thousand litres.

Marshal Abubakar disclosed that the Air Force also commissioned a battery bay at the 131 Engineering Group as well as a Quick Response Wing (QRW) base for Special Forces and a water project in Agatu local government area of the state.

Speaking at the event, Marshal Abubakar said the projects being commissioned were part of the extensive infrastructural upgrade that the Service is witnessing across the country.

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While noting that water was a major problem in the Makurdi NAF Base, Marshal Abubakar said it was for that reason that the NAF under him had decided to confront the problem by proffering a lasting solution to it.

“You know from capacity of about 150,000 we are now providing over a million litters. And from a storage facility that is also about 450,000 were providing over 2 million litres. This, I believe, will go a long way in making our personnel comfortable.

“These are the people that are fighting day and night to make sure that Nigeria is secured.

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“So, whatever it is that we need to do to make sure that they and their families and other members that are resident in the barracks are in good shape, will do that.”

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He noted further that the Quick Response Wing base in Agatu would add value to the efforts of other security agencies in the area while the water project is also aimed at alleviating the plight of the people.

“I want to say that we are also excited to be in Agatu because we believe that our presence there will add value to what other security agencies are doing there.

“It is not a single man’s squad but we are working together with other security agencies and it is our desire to ensure that those communities can go about their businesses without any fears.

“The Special forces are there. They are staying with them there and they are also supporting them and we intend to conduct also a medical outreach for seven days in order to attend to the medical needs of the people.

“And then we have of course provided a borehole to make sure that we win the hearts and minds of the community so that they understand that the NAF is there to compliment whatever others are doing to make sure that their community is safe and secure.

Earlier in a welcome address, Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Tactical Air Command (TAC), AVM Oladayo Amao commended the Chief of Air Staff for the many projects embarked upon across the country.

Amao posited that, “today’s commissioning ceremony as well as several others he has embarked on across the country is a testimony to the tremendous efforts in addressing such challenges in the Service.”