By Linus Aleke
The hazards of fighting insurgency through the air are not only enormous, delicate, risky, expensive and tasking, but also, present the ‘cheering,’ dynamic of winning the war.

The ‘cheering,’ dynamic of winning the war is, however, dim, when it has to do with asymmetric warfare, which, of course, Nigeria is currently confronted with.

Elaborating on the limitations of air power in an asymmetric warfare environment, an anonymous security expert, said the enemy in this kind of warfare hides amongst, the civilian population.

“They don’t wear uniforms, and also, lack formal formations, as opposed to the state forces that are well kitted, known, visible, and regimented. Each soldier, airman, or rating, belongs to a certain unit and command.

“There are known military bases, cantonments, training institutions, and other establishments. But aside, from concealed enclaves, where these terrorists meet occasionally, they have no known address. Most of them live amongst the people.

“Therefore, it is not wise to just bomb a community, simply because terrorists are living amongst them. The state forces are paid to protect these vulnerable populations. Also, a bomb does not select terrorists or bandits, or other criminals to kill in a location.

“There is no mechanism or censor, inside a bomb that identifies the DNA of criminals before killing. Once a missile is dropped in a location, it kills anybody within the radius of its coverage. And to avoid excessive collateral damage, certain areas are not bombed, even if terrorists are identified to be hiding or hibernating in the area.”

He further said, “You people- the journalists are the first to write that the Air Force has killed civilians, during operation. Yes, the Armed Forces have air power as opposed to the non-state actors, but this type of warfare is not the formal type, where military bases and installations are targeted and destroyed to whittle down the powers of the opponent and subsequently overrun them.

“Having said that, the air power is a force multiplier. People now, move freely in Nigeria today, because of the employment of air power by the Nigerian military. This is notwithstanding the limitations often occasioned by the kind of warfare we are fighting. Terrorists by their nature and modus operandi are ‘hit and run’. They are cowards, they will attack military installations or civilian locations and run back into hiding.”

Amplifying the strategic role of air power in any form of modern warfare, the wartime British Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill said, “The power of an air force is terrific when there is nothing to oppose it.”

Regrettably, in the Nigerian scenario, the criminals have acquired capabilities to oppose the employment of air power.

For instance, there had been reported cases of bandits shooting down military fighter jets in the course of the ongoing counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency, and anti-banditry operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), in the North-East and northwest theatres of operations.

The anti-aircraft capabilities acquired by these enemies of state had resulted in minimal successes within the period under scrutiny.

Just last year, precisely on July 18, 2021, armed bandits shut down a Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Alpha Jet aircraft, at the border, between Zamfara and Kaduna states.

The NAF Alpha Jet aircraft, which, is used for attacks against armed bandits and terrorists across all theatres of operations, crashed in Zamfara when it came under intense enemy fire.

The gallant pilot of the aircraft, Flight Lieutenant Abayomi Dairo, successfully ejected from the aircraft and avoided capture by the bandits using his survival skills until he reached an army installation, the Nigerian Air Force said in a statement.

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The statement which was signed by Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore, Edward Gabkwet, the crash which occurred at about 12.45pm on Sunday, recorded zero casualties.

“On 18 July 2021, at about 12.45pm, a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet aircraft, returning from a successful air interdiction mission between the boundaries of Zamfara and Kaduna State, came under intense enemy fire which led to its crash in Zamfara State,” the statement reads in part.

Recall also, that on 31 March 2021, NAF Alpha Jet, (NAF 475), went off the radar, and was later reported to have crashed with two crew members, on board, Flight Lieutenant John Abolarinwa, and Flight Lieutenant Ebiakpo Chapele.

However, one year after, the wreckage of the missing NAF fighter jet was found in Sambisa, by the Nigerian Army troops of Operation Desert Sanity.

The Nigerian Army in a statement, said the aircraft (NAF 475), which had two crew members, had gone off the radar on March 31, 2021.

“Troops of Operation Desert Sanity on a clearance patrol in Sambisa Forest, Borno State, have uncovered the wreckage of crashed Alpha Jet aircraft (NAF475) that went off the radar with two crew members on 31 March 2021. Further exploitation ongoing,” the statement reads.

Nevertheless, the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, in a statement in April 2021 expressed fears that the aircraft might have crashed.
He said, “Intelligence report gathered by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) indicates that the Alpha Jet aircraft (NAF475) that went off the radar with two crew members on board on 31 March 2021 might have crashed.

“Extensive search and rescue efforts are still ongoing by NAF surveillance aircraft as well as NAF Special Forces and Nigerian Army troops on the ground. At this point, the NAF is not ruling out anything regarding the incident. It, however, remains hopeful that the crew would soon be found and rescued.”

The Nigerian Air Force also dismissed claims that the missing aircraft was shot down by Boko Haram terrorists as seen in a video circulated on social media.

The service had in a statement said, its attention was drawn to some videos being circulated on social media, as well as media reports drawn therefrom, alleging that the NAF Alpha Jet aircraft, which was reported missing in Borno State on March 31, 2021, after losing radar contact, was shot down by terrorists.

“One of such videos, in particular, began with sporadic shooting by several terrorists, including underage children on motorcycles and vehicles. It later skipped abruptly to a scene depicting an aircraft exploding mid-air, supposedly as a result of enemy action.

“Another part of the video showed a terrorist, who, while standing by the wreckage, claimed that they had shot down the NAF aircraft. Although the video is still being thoroughly analysed, it is evident that most parts of the video were deliberately doctored to give a false impression that the aircraft was shut down.

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“It is obvious that the Boko Haram sect, in its characteristic manner of employing false propaganda, is seeking to claim credit for what was an air accident that could have been caused by several other reasons; particularly at a time when the capability of the group to inflict mayhem has been significantly degraded by the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

“Consequently, Nigerians are, please, advised to ignore the contents of the videos making the rounds until all investigations as to how the aircraft crashed are completed.”

As of the time of writing this report, not even a preliminary report of the cause of the air mishap was made public, but the Nigerian Army statement quoted above had laid the matter to rest.

The terrorists may have downed the military fighter jets.

There were also several other air crashes, involving Nigerian Air Force (NAF), platforms, after the two incidents referenced above. Notable amongst them was the Nigerian Air Force Beechcraft King Air 350i that crashed in Kaduna, on 21 May 2021, killing the then Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, and other top Generals in his entourage.

It was, however, in a determined move to whittle down, if not eradicate the anti-aircraft capabilities of non-state actors in all theatres of operations, as well as halt the incessant crashes, that the NAF hierarchy had intensified training and retraining of its personnel.

To expand the scope of training and retraining of personnel locally, Nigerian Air last week inaugurated the newly reactivated NAF, Air Warfare Centre.

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, who commissioned the Air Warfare Centre, said, the lessons learnt by the Armed Forces of Nigeria from recent, and ongoing operations across the country have further confirmed the dynamism of air power employment.

Amao, who also, inaugurated the first course, on basic air power for young officers, further posited, that air power is critical to operational successes as well as meeting the safety and security aspirations of all Nigerians.

The Air Chief said, air power has become a key determinant of operational effectiveness, and force multiplier in all ongoing operations in the country.

The CAS added that it also tallies with two key drivers of his vision, which, “focuses on doctrinal development and application of air power in joint military operations” as well as “pursuit of purposeful training and human capacity development.”

On the mandate of the Centre, Air Marshal Amao said, the Centre must seek to support the airman across the spectrum of air warfare requirements; ranging from training and operational readiness to doctrinal and tactics development.

Such support, he opined, will enhance effectiveness by giving impetus to Service-wide efforts that will translate existing materiel and human capacity into actual capabilities to fulfil air power tasks demanded by national defence and security imperatives.

The CAS, also charged the pioneer Commandant of the Centre, Air Vice-Marshal Michael Onyebashi, and staff to prime the new institution for the highest standards and maximum impact, while ensuring that it evolves new and dynamic approaches for NAF employment of air power.

He further posited that the Centre will play a significant role in the efforts to apply the military instrument of power, to address the myriad of security challenges facing the nation.

He also used the occasion to appreciate members of the Air Power Consult for the development of the Air Warfare Centre’s curriculum and new doctrines that cut across most combat and combat support specialties of the NAF.

Earlier, the Commandant of the Centre, Onyebachi said, recent experiences and current realities in the various theatres of operations where NAF is engaged, underscored the imperative for a purpose-built institution focused on enhancing the effective and efficient application of air power.

The situation, according to him, led to Amao, putting together a body of officers made up of respected retired senior NAF officers known as the members of the Air Power Consult, to midwife the establishment of the re-engineered Air Warfare Centre.

He said, the commissioning of the Centre was a product of numerous strategic sessions and background work by the Consult, whose inputs were valuable in putting together the various curriculum for the programmes.

The Commandant applauded the visionary leadership of the CAS, who he said, has continued to seek, explore, and invest in every venture that would advance the impact of airpower application in the security of Nigeria.

Onyebachi added, the Centre is designed to be a special purpose vehicle to accelerate the drive towards doctrinal inquiry, review, and development, as well as purposeful airpower training and overall human capacity development in the NAF.

He also noted the objective of the Basic Air Power Course is to instil in young NAF officers a level of air-mindedness that would enable them to apply their primary assignment to the overall objective of the NAF.

The course, according to him, is well packaged not only to inform but to also encourage active student participation, stimulate thoughts, and incisive self-study.

Spokesperson of the Service, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, in a statement, said the desired outcome is to produce airpower practitioners who are sufficiently equipped to project and deliver the promises of airpower in line with contemporary and global best practices.