The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Thursday, 10 May 2018, commissioned some newly executed projects at the 209 Quick Response Group (QRG) Ipetu Ijesha, aimed at addressing the welfare needs of the Unit’s personnel and their families.
The commissioned projects include a block of transit accommodation of 10 studio flats and 2 blocks of additional classrooms at the Air Force Primary School Ipetu Ijesha for the benefit of dependants of NAF personnel and members of the host community.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, the Executive Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who was represented by Senator Mudasiru Hussein, commended the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, for his tremendous contributions to national development.
The Governor also eulogized the virtues of the NAF leadership for its commitment to providing new facilities and upgrading existing ones across NAF Commands and Units.
In addition, Ogbeni Aregbesola was full of appreciation to the CAS for the establishment of 209 QRG in Ipetu Ijesha, noting that the Unit had contributed significantly to security in the State and in the entire Southwestern region.
He then pledged the continuous commitment of the State Government to all the security outfits in the State of Osun.
The CAS had earlier disclosed that the evolving security environment necessitated the expansion of the NAF to better provide swift and adequate responses whenever required.
According to him, 209 QRG in particular was established under the Special Operations Command (SOC) to provide prompt response to any emerging security challenges in the Southwestern part of Nigeria.
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The CAS explained that the NAF provided the new facilities to ensure that the morale and state of readiness of personnel remain high to promote effective service delivery.
He further stated that the newly commissioned facilities have been deliberately made available for the benefit of Ipetu Ijesha residents, as a way of enhancing civil military relations.
Speaking further, the CAS expressed his appreciation to the Government of the State of Osun for providing the NAF with sufficient land to build the Base and develop the training areas for shooting range, jungle warfare and survival training.
He used the opportunity to equally appreciate the support the NAF had been receiving from President Muhammadu Buhari whom he noted, had created the enabling environment for the NAF to continue to provide the needed welfare facilities for personnel and host communities.
It would be recalled that the NAF, in 2017, expanded the facilities at the Unit’s Medical Centre to meet the healthcare needs of the increasing population of personnel on the Base as well as members of the civil populace.
The 209 QRG, which began operations in December 2016, is positioned to conduct a wide spectrum of special operations as demanded by the exigencies of the situation across the Southwestern region.
The location of the Unit in Ipetu Ijesha is to ensure centrality within the assigned areas of responsibility and to provide a conducive environment for training and preparation for any contingency.
Present at the occasion were a time CAS and former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petirin and the Paramount Ruler of Ijeshaland, Oba Dr. Gabriel Aromolaran.
Olatokunbo Adesanya
Air Vice Marshal
Director of Public Relations and Information
