NAF Officers Deployed To South East As Nigerian Army Demands Air Support

The Nigerian Air Force has joined the Operation
Python Dance II campaign in the Southeast by
deploying its air assets in support of the ground
troops.
The NAF said the deployment of the air assets was
not only based on the request of the Nigerian Army
for air support but inevitable due to the wide
expanse of the exercise area.
A statement on Tuesday night by the Director of
Information and Public Relations of the NAF, Air
Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, said “the
essence of the deployment is to provide the
necessary air cover to the ground troops to enhance
overall operational cohesion and efficiency.”
The statement supported with video footage
showed two Alpha Jet Aircrafts on aerial
surveillance of the coverage area.

The statement reads:
“In line with its commitment to national peace and
security, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has deployed
some of its air assets, including the Alpha Jet
aircraft, to its 115 Special Operations Group in Port
Harcourt, to support the ongoing Nigerian Army’s
Exercise EGWU EKE II (PYTHON DANCE II).
“The essence of the deployment is to provide the
necessary air cover to the ground troops to enhance
overall operational cohesion and efficiency.
“It would be recalled the operation began officially
on 15 September 2017 and was planned to cover
the entire South East Region of the country.
“The wide expanse of the exercise area and the
request by the Nigerian Army for close air support
made the involvement of the NAF inevitable.
“Exercise EGWU EKE II is aimed at combatting
security challenges in the Southeastern part of the
country.
“The deployment of the air assets in support of the
Nigerian Army is thus in fulfillment of one of the
constitutional mandates of the NAF.”