Nkiru Odinkemelu

In a bid to keep fit, no fewer than 450 personnel of the Nigerian Air Force participated in the second quarter of the 2019 route-match which took place in Lagos.

The 10-kilometre match which saw the personnel gathered at about 6am at the parade ground, kicked off at the Sam Ethnan Air Force Base, Ikeja, down to the gate of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, and terminated at the base.

The physical exercise was in line with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar’s vision which is to reposition the NAF into a highly professional and disciplined force through capacity-building initiatives for effective, efficient and timely employment of air power in response to Nigeria’s national security imperatives.

Addressing journalists shortly after the exercise, Air Officer Commanding (AOC) NAF Logistics Command, Ikeja, AVM Abdulganiyu Olabisi,  said the aim of the exercise was to foster esprit de-corps among the personnel, as well as keep them physically, mentally and morally fit in the discharge of their duties.

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AVM Olabisi, while recounting the sensitivity of the job of the force, added that a person with such responsibility has to always maintain physical and mental alertness, which was what the essence of the exercise.

His words: “This exercise is meant to maintain a high state of physical fitness, mental alertness of our personnel and to keep them morally upright, just like the morning PT and the Wednesday games. The exercise was a huge success; everybody participated apart from those on essential duties.

“Like I said, military personnel are usually required to take decisions under time constraint and such decisions border on life and death.

“So, for anybody that will be entrusted with such a responsibility, you have to ensure that such a person is in a state of physical fitness and mental alertness.

He commended the personnel for their commitment to the cause of the force, reminding them of the further need to combat the security challenges of the country. The AOC charged them to always apply professionalism in the discharge of their duties.