Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar on Sunday visited crew members of the Nigerian Air Force MI-35P attack helicopter that crashed last Friday in Port Harcourt.
Abubakar commended the five crew members receiving treatment at the NAF medical centre in Port Harcourt, for the professional manner in which they handled the emergency.
He said that their action was commendable and a decisive factor in mitigating the extent of damage to public property and loss of lives.
The air staff chief directed the medical director of the centre to render first-class treatment to them.
According to a statement by the NAF spokesman Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, Abubakar also addressed troops of 115 Special Operations Group (115 SOG) during the visit.
He encouraged them to see the setback as a step for a more resilient comeback, and channeling efforts towards thwarting the activities of economic saboteurs and oil thieves in their area of operation.
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He urged them not to be discouraged, saying that the hope of millions of Nigerians rest on their shoulders.
According to him, the realisation of these aspirations is hinged on their ability to combat all forms of criminality that threaten the peace and stability of the nation.
Abubakar urged all NAF personnel to regard the incident as a challenge to improve safety measures, while remaining undeterred and focused in tackling the myriads of security threats facing the nation.
“Times like these are a sad reminder of the inherent risks in military aviation, especially when flying activities, occasioned by our current security challenges, have tremendously increased.
“As we continue to fly intensively, incidents are bound to occur.
“Nevertheless, we must continue to ensure we minimise the risk factors as reasonably practicable,” he said.
