The Nigerian Air Force has said it spent
N344m to fuel various aircraft deployed in
the fight against Boko Haram terrorists in
the North-East between April and June 2017.
While revealing that a total of 568 missions
were conducted during the period, the Air
Component Commander of Operation Lafiya
Dole, Air Commodore Tajudeen Yusuf, said
that the Air Force personnel flew for 1,256
hours during the period.
He said the NAF deployed four helicopters to
bring 82 rescued Chibok schoolgirls from
Banki to Maiduguri, Borno State, on May 7.
He said, “Our air efforts were focused largely
on generating day and night intelligence
surveillance reconnaissance and armed
reece to identify targets for air interdiction.
“From April to June 2017, a total of 568
missions were conducted in 1,256 hours
and nine minutes by the various platforms.
“For all these sorties, 1,227,502 litres of Jet-
A1 fuel and 1,273 litres of MOGAS (a grade of
petrol) were consumed. We spent a total of
N344, 451,630 on fuel within the 90 days of
operation.
“The air component recorded some
achievements during the period, including
the conduct of significant liaison and
humanitarian outreach missions. One was
the extraction of Chibok schoolgirls from
Banki to Maiduguri on May 7. The 82
rescued Chibok schoolgirls were extracted
to Maiduguri using the Mi-17, EC-135 and
two Agusta-109 LUH helicopters.
“Eighteen members of the International
Committee of the Red Cross and the
Department of State Services were also
airlifted. All the airlift missions were
conducted in a total of 16 sorties, using the
four helicopters.”
