NEWS

NAF airlift relief materials to flood affected communities in Bayelsa

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has commenced the airlift of relief materials to flood victims in riverine communities in Bayelsa.

The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to him, the relief materials were airlifted from Enugu State to Igbogenne community in Bayelsa via Port Harcourt.

He said that the materials would be redistributed to other riverine communities adversely affected by the recent flooding in the state.

Gabkwet said that the airlift of the relief materials followed the directive of the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao.

He said that the CAS had directed all operational units and commanders to provide the necessary assistance required by all government agencies towards alleviating the sufferings of the flood victims.

Gabkwet added that the relief materials were airlifted by a C-130 aircraft from Enugu to Port Harcourt and subsequently ferried to Igbogenne in Bayelsa.

This he added was made possible with the use of Mi-35M and EC-135 helicopters where it was then redistributed to affected communities and villages.

“More relief materials are expected to be airlifted in the coming days from other parts of the country to affected flooded communities in Bayelsa and other states in the country,“he added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NAF has a long history of working with civil authorities in providing air support to deliver aids to disaster areas.

NAN recalls that in March 2020, NAF airlifted medical materials donated by the Jack Ma Foundation consisting of 107 boxes of medical supplies and equipment weighing over 1,360kg.

It also airlifted medical equipment and supplies in April 2020,  from Lagos to Abuja, donated by the Turkish Government.

Additionally, in March 2021, NAF airlifted COVID-19 medical supplies donated by the Economic Community of West Africa States.

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