By Doris Esa
Abuja – The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has named another building after late Sqn Ldr. Bello Baba-Ari.
Baba-Ari was the NAF fighter pilot who died in an air mishap while participating in the aerial display rehearsals for the 58th Nigerian Independence Day Anniversary.
NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that, NAF as a mark of honour for the supreme price paid by Late Baba-Ari, on Dec.18 2018, named a newly commissioned Pilots’ Crew Room at the Headquarters Air Task Force (HQ ATF) Operation LAFIYA DOLE in Maiduguri after him.
Daramola, however, said that NAF immortalised the late pilot after it inagurated the new (second) building. a block of six 3-bedroom flats for officers, located at NAF Base Asokoro, Abuja.
He said the building was constructed by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and furnished by NAF.
In his remarks, the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, said that the current administration had been able to promote accommodation sufficiency from 45 per cent in 2015 to 70 per cent currently.
The air chief was represented by AVM Kingsley Lar, the Chief of Administration, Headquarters NAF.
Abubakar noted that the high number of accommodation recorded in the three and half years was achieved despite the fact that an unprecedented number of personnel were recruited within the period.
He said over 7,500 airmen/airwomen and 400 officers, had been recruited and enlisted into the NAF within the period.
He said that efforts would be sustained to improve the rate of accommodation sufficiency, as a way of motivating personnel to be more effective in the performance of their duties.
The CAS thanked the MOD for contributing to NAF’s efforts at enhancing the welfare of its personnel.
He also urged the beneficiaries to ensure that the accommodation was maintained.
The Commander 053 Headquarters NAF Camp, Air Commodore Abubakar Yusuf, thanked the CAS for always placing premium on the welfare of personnel.
Yusuf noted that CAS had executed several welfare-related projects in Abuja which had drastically reduced the accommodation challenges facing personnel.