EXCLUSIVE: Air Force Committee Raises Alarm Over Improper Ammunition Dump

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh

The National Assembly  House Committee on the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has lamented the improper storage of armament, weaponry and ammunition at the store of the force in Makurdi, Benue State.

The Committee Chairman, Kenneth Archibong, made this disclosure yesterday after a tour of the NAF Logistics Command Headquarters in Lagos, stressing that the improper storage is a ticking time bomb that could blow up if precautions are not taken. 

Archibong alongside four members of the committee said  they have initiated efforts by ensuring the ammunition dump would be included in the 2014 budget so as to hasten the project, seeing that it possess a big threat to life and property. 

While lamenting the challenge of poor funding for the force, he called on the Federal Government to properly fund the NAF to ensure greater efficiency.

He added, "We are also working to ensure that the Super Puma Helicopters at the force’s hangar in Lagos are taken to France for proper refit since they are either non functional or have developed gear problems and need refit urgently. 

"Again, we commended the NAF engineers responsible for the first in country Periodic Depot Maintenance (PDM) done on the Charlie 130 (C-130) Hercules aircraft and six Alpha Jets fighter planes."

The committee were however told that the refurbishment of the  G222 medium airlift transport plane is experiencing a hitch with difficulty in procuring the spares since the manufacturers no longer produce such aircrafts. 

Although NAF engineers refitting the G222 promised that the aircraft would be ready for use in two months, they called on the committee to advocate in its quest for a new medium lift aircraft capable of replacing the G222.