By Olukayode Michael
Efforts
to further enhance Nigerian Air Force (NAF) special operations capabilities
have received a boost with the graduation of another batch of 20 Military
Working Dogs (MWDs) and Canine (K-9) handlers, 5 of which have been trained in
a range of special operations skills including rappelling from helicopters as
well as tracking of adversary movements and positions in an area of operation.
The graduation ceremony, which took place today, 6 September 2019, at the NAF
Base Kaduna, would further improve measures for the protection of NAF assets
and facilities as well as critical national infrastructure, like Airports,
especially in times of emergencies.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique
Abubakar, who was the Guest of Honour, noted that upon assumption of Office,
part of the outcome of a gap analysis conducted to ascertain the NAF’s
requirement for the protection of its assets revealed the need for a holistic
capacity development among the specialist directorates charged with security,
law enforcement and base defence. He disclosed that the Air Provost (AP), as
one of these specialist directorates, has received and will continue to receive
attention in this regard, with the development of K-9 capabilies being one of
the areas of focus. The CAS recalled how the NAF had inducted the first batch
of 20 MWDs with narcotics and explosive detection capabilities. He noted that
the import of inducting Special Operations Dogs in the second batch of
training, was to provide the AP with the capacity to conduct specialized
policing functions in support of the roles of the newly established Special
Operations Command.
Air Marshal Abubakar went further to highlight some of the additional steps
taken to enhance the capacity of the NAF AP personnel, including the
establishment of a new K-9 Wing in Bauchi, equipped with modern facilities for
K-9 development and administration, to support the Counter Insurgency (COIN)
Operations in the Northeast. He said a full-fledged AP Training Centre had also
been established at Kerang, Plateau State, to increase the scope and depth of
AP training in the NAF. The CAS noted that another major feat recorded in the
capacity building efforts of the AP specialty was the resuscitation of the
Provost Forensic Laboratory in 2018, after it had been disused and abandoned
for over 20 years. In addition, he revealed that capacity had equally been
developed in the area of Crime Scene Investigation (CSI), where 16 AP Personnel
each had been trained in Stages 1 and 2 CSI Courses, as well as
Train-the-Trainer and Forensic Awareness Courses. Moreover, he said another 300
AP personnel had benefited from the Force Protection in Complex Air Ground
Environment (FPCAGE) training conducted by the British Military Advisory
Training Team (BMATT).
The CAS expressed the expectation that the handlers, along with their dogs,
having undergone intensive advanced K-9 training for 13 weeks (10 weeks of
which were conducted overseas and 3 in-country), must endeavour to add value
wherever they are deployed. He emphasised that the Service intends to increase
its K-9 holding with the addition of 20 more Special Operations Dogs that would
enhance the potential to detect, track and provide early warning of adversary
positions while also exploiting the psychological effects of dogs on
adversaries. “Thus, K-9 development is projected to be a force multiplier to
the operational exploits of the NAF’s aircrew and ground personnel that would
enhance the security of Nigeria and Nigerians”, he stated. He added that some
of the dogs would soon be deployed alongside NAF Regiment Specialty to conduct
training exercises on some troubled roads like the Kaduna-Abuja and
Kaduna-Birnin Gwari Highways as well as locations in the Southwest of the
Country. Air Marshal Abubakar also expressed the appreciation and continued
loyalty of the Service to the Commander-in-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari,
for providing the enabling environment for the NAF to keep discharging its
responsibilities despite other contending imperatives.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, the Chief of Administration (COA) Headquarters
NAF, Air Vice Marshal Kingsley Lar, who was represented by the NAF Air Provost
Marshal (APM), thanked the CAS for his vision and foresight in establishing the
NAF K-9 Unit in February 2016. He said these had significantly improved security
and law enforcement in NAF bases as well as in various operational theatres.
The COA remarked that the tactical and special operations training undertaken
by the graduands entailed rappelling from helicopters; tracking and navigation
as well as first aid and searches in built-up areas, amongst many others.
Among the 20 dogs and handlers who graduated, 10 were trained in explosive
detection and 5 in narcotics detection, while 5 dogs were trained for special
operations; the first of its kind in Nigeria. The ceremony featured practical
demonstration of the capabilities of the Military Working Dogs and their
handlers which included explosive ordinance and narcotics detection, tracking
and arrest of suspects in simulated built-up areas as well as rappelling of a
dog and handler from a helicopter, which was executed by one of the female
graduating dog handlers, Lance Corporal Naomi Danjuma. Awards were also
presented to graduating dogs and handlers who had distinguished themselves
during the course.
