The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, stated that Nigerian Air Force (NAF) airstrikes have significantly degraded the capabilities of violent non-state actors and disrupted their operational networks across the country.
The Chief said this when he played host to the Junior Deputy Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic, Radka Konderlova, in Abuja, on Tuesday.
Air Marshal Abubakar highlighted Nigeria’s pivotal contributions to regional stability, emphasising NAF’s frontline role in countering terrorism, insurgency, and violent extremism across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.
He also emphasised NAF’s contributions in the maritime domain, particularly in securing critical national infrastructure and countering piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, stressing that such “engagements reinforce Nigeria’s enduring commitment to collective security across Africa and the international community.”
The Nation reports that the NAF recorded significant feats recently, eliminating over 800 bandits and terrorists in the Northwest and Northeast regions.
Also, 62 kidnap victims escaped from a bandit den in Katsina State after the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) conducted airstrikes on the camp of notorious bandit leader Muhammadu Fulani in Danmusa Local Government Area.
Air Marshal Abubakar reaffirmed NAF’s commitment to strengthening strategic defence cooperation with the Czech Republic as part of ongoing efforts to advance national security and regional stability.
“This engagement could not have come at a more auspicious time, as the Nigerian Air Force continues its deliberate transformation into an agile and resilient force capable of meeting the airpower demands of national security in all operational environments,” he said.
The Czech Junior Deputy Minister of Defence reaffirmed her country’s readiness to broaden defence cooperation with Nigeria, noting that air defence is the backbone of national security and Nigeria is one of the biggest partners of the Czech Republic.
Konderlova said, “Nigeria remains a critical partner for the Czech Republic in Africa, particularly in the shared pursuit of peace and stability.
“Beyond defence, our partnership also carries immense potential for technology transfer and human capital development.”
She expressed her country’s commitment to working closely with the Nigerian Air Force to advance aerospace technologies, training cooperation, and promote solutions that empower local industries and strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture in a sustainable way.
“This approach ensures that our collaboration contributes to both national development and global peace,” Konderlova said.
