Tinubu Inducts Five Helicopters For Surveillance, Combat Support
Dr. Nafisat Makinde, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday, October 29, inducted five helicopters into the Nigerian Air Force fleet to support surveillance, combat missions and other military operations across the country.
The development was announced in a statement signed by Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, director of public relations and information at the Nigerian Air Force headquarters. The aircraft comprise three Leonardo AW-109 Trekker B helicopters and two Airbus H-125 helicopters.
The three AW-109 helicopters arrived in Lagos on September 15, while the two H-125 helicopters had been delivered earlier, according to the Air Force. The AW-109 aircraft are designed for intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance, close air support, armed escort and combat search and rescue. The H-125 helicopters will support surveillance, tactical mobility and other light helicopter operations.
The three AW-109 helicopters form part of a batch of 10 acquired by the Federal Government. In its September announcement, the Air Force said the remaining seven were expected before the end of 2026. Their current delivery status was not provided in the statement announcing the induction.
The helicopters are intended to support military operations against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other security threats. The Air Force had previously said the aircraft were undergoing post-delivery assembly and technical and crew-readiness preparations. The latest statement did not specify when they would be deployed for particular operations.
The ceremony also featured the commissioning of reconstructed hangars at the Presidential Air Fleet facility in Abuja. It was attended by the national security adviser, the chief of defence staff, other service chiefs, ministers, members of the National Assembly and senior government and military officials.
The induction adds to the Air Force’s rotary-wing fleet as the military continues operations against armed groups across Nigeria. The extent to which the new aircraft will support those operations will depend on their availability and deployment.