Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has expressed gratitude to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Hasan Abubakar, for approving the establishment of an Air Force Base in the state.
Speaking when he received the Chief of Air Staff and his delegation who paid him an official visit, Governor Otti promised that the state government would provide land for them to site their operations.
The Governor announced that a temporary site in Umuahia would be allocated to facilitate the immediate commencement of operations, and assured that the state government would also supply operational vehicles, official residences, and other essential logistics.
He expressed confidence that the new Air Force Base would enhance the security of lives and property in Abia and directed the Commissioner for Lands and Housing to collaborate with the Air Force’s designated personnel to expedite the process.
“We are also in a position to give you a temporary site so you do not wait for the construction of the permanent site before we realise this good gesture that you have made here.
“We will give you a temporarysite in Umuahia and we will also provide residences for your men and also provide vehicles for them to move around and any other thing that they require and so I believe that we can achieve this in the next one to two months“, Otti assured.
Governor Otti attributed the relative peace in the state to the efforts of security agencies and reiterated that security remains a top priority for his administration.
The Governor who noted that the visit came at the right time especially with the Federal governments approval for the setting up of an Airstrip in the state, highlighted the state’s ongoing collaboration with the Federal Government to develop the airstrip into a full-fledged airport.
The Governor disclosed that his government is not resting on it’s oars to apprehended the killers of the five soldiers at Obikabia, and announced that the bounty has been upgraded to 30 million naira, and called on citizens to provide any useful information to help apprehend the criminals.
Earlier the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar said that the essence of his visit is to engage in meaningful dialogue with the Governor and explore opportunities for collaboration between Nigerian Airforce and Abia State.
Abubakar requested the state government to provide them a parcel of land for the establishment of an Air Force Base in Abia State to enhance security not only in Abia but the entire South East Zone.
Abubakar, applauded Governor Otti for his dedication to public service and commitment to the development of the State as well as his governance style, “which is people oriented and centered to judicious management of public resources in order to improve the living standards of Abians”.
He used the opportunity to commiserate with the state government on the unfortunate incident which led to the loss of five soldiers at Obikabia, assuring that the Nigerian Airforce would partner other security agencies in the state to bolster security.
