Molly Kilete, Abuja

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar, has said the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) would do everything in its powers to ensure the unity, peace, and stability of the country.

Similarly, the NAF chief has charged personnel of the service to take physical training exercises very seriously as that was the only way they can contend with some of the security challenges bedeviling the nation.

Abubakar, who gave the charge when he led officers and personnel on the NAF, for 2018, first quarter route march exercise, said “It’s not good enough to have a sound mind in our environment today, you must have a sound body as well.

“A body that will accommodate that mind and therefore can stand the complex nature of some of the challenges facing us. “So this exercise gives us an opportunity to evaluate how sound that body is.

“You will agree with me that what we display this morning clearly shows we have a sound body. He said the exercise was an opportunity for the authorities to evaluate the physical fitness of personnel.”

The NAF chief, who reminded personnel of their constitutional duties of ensuring the peace, unity and stability of the country, urged them not be distracted by the campaign of calumny which he said is detrimental to the growth and development of the Nigerian nation, saying that they should not to be part of those trying to destabilize the nation.

“Our personnel should not be distracted by what is happening in the country when all-sorts of campaigns that are not too useful in my opinion are going on.

“Our role is clearly defined; therefore, we must remain focused on that as provided for in the constitution of the country, which is to ensure the unity, stability and territorial integrity of the nation.

“That should be the focus and not be distracted…,” he said.