Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Nigerian Air Force ( NAF) on Tuesday gave out palliatives to members of its host communities across the country to mark the 56th-anniversary celebrations of the service.
This comes as the NAF said it has suspended all actives hitherto set up to mark the celebrations in order to curb the spread of the COVID-19 infectious disease in the country.
The NAF said the palliatives, which are aimed at ameliorating the hardship of people within villages where its bases are located, are targeted at the poor and vulnerable.
Over five hundred persons at Nuwalege, Bwari and Zamani areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were provided with various relief items which include rice, semovita, vegetable oils, tin tomatoes and hand sanitisers.
Flagging-off the distribution at Nuwalege, a community located behind the NAF base in Abuja, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, noted that apart from engaging in combat air operations, ground operations and civil-military relations activities, the Nigeria Air Force has continued to add value to Nigerian society by contributing its quota to nation-building.
The Chief of Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshall Alao, representing Air Marshall Abubakar at the occasion, stated:
“The year 2020 is proving to be a special one that has brought with it the unexpected turn of events in our socio-economic lives and as early as this time of the year everybody is wondering what the post-COVID-19 period will look like.
“In view of the turn of events thrust upon us by the prevailing circumstances, the Chief of the Air Staff in his wisdom has directed that the 56th NAF Day Celebration should be flagged-off with the distribution of palliatives to the poor and vulnerable groups in the host communities of NAF bases nationwide.
“For this first phase of the programme, the target is about 500 families covering the Nuwalege Community and Zamani Community off Bill Clinton Drive as well as the Ushafa community in Bwari Area Council. Therefore, today alone there shall be the distribution of palliatives to 3 different communities, starting with Nuwalege Community where we are right now. Other communities around this area will also be visited by other groups during the week.”