Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has called for the establishment of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) base in the state to strengthen its security measures. The governor also proposed setting up a NAF school to help nurture disciplined and patriotic children.
Abiodun made these requests during a meeting with a delegation from the Chief of Air Staff, led by Air Vice Marshal Enebong Effiom, at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on Tuesday. The discussion was a follow-up to an earlier meeting he had with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, in Abuja.
During the meeting, the governor noted that his administration was ready to collaborate with the Air Force to boost security and aviation development in the state. He stressed that Ogun, as an industrial hub, would benefit from the presence of the Air Force alongside other security agencies already operating in the state.
“I had the opportunity to meet with the Chief of Air Staff yesterday (Monday) at his office in Abuja, and we exchanged ideas on a lot of issues, particularly regarding the airport. I shared with the Chief of Air Staff that having an airport also provides us the opportunity to have the men and women of the Nigerian Air Force complement our security architecture,” Abiodun said.
The governor noted that Ogun already has the Nigerian Army, Police, and a Nigerian Navy School, making it necessary to also have a NAF base. He further suggested that an Air Force school in the state would help train young people and encourage them to consider careers in the military.
“I also spoke to the Chief of Air Staff yesterday about going beyond a base and looking at how we can partner with you to have an Air Force school in Ogun State, and that is something we are very passionate about in Ogun State,” he noted.
To support the immediate setup of the base, Abiodun stated that his administration is prepared to provide temporary office space and accommodation. He revealed that an unused model school building could be repurposed to ease the burden of setting up the base.
“In the meantime, I can authoritatively say that with the support of the Chief of Air Staff, we will have the Air Force presence at the airport almost immediately. We will build a suitable office for the Air Force at the airport, and we will provide accommodation for the personnel who will be providing the services required at the airport,” he added.
Abiodun also pointed out that his administration had already allocated land and other resources to the Nigerian Navy to establish a base in Ogun Waterside. He noted that the groundbreaking ceremony for the Naval base is expected to take place in a few weeks.
