By Victor Akaa, Abuja
The Director of Public Relations and Information,Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola says, the Nigerian Air Force has yesterday, airlifted medical materials worth about 3,000 pounds from Lagos to Abuja.
The medical materials consisting of testing kits, face masks, medical disposable protective clothing,amongst others were donated by Jack Ma Foundation, a Chinese billionaire to 57 countries in Africa, including Nigeria as part of his efforts to curbing the spread of the deadly pandemic .
Air Commodore Ibikunle in a statement made available to Enugu Reporters says “the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), yesterday, 24 March 2020, airlifted medical materials donated by the Jack Ma Foundation, China, for tackling the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Nigeria, from the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos to the Nnmadi Azikiwe International Airport(NAIA), Abuja in fulfilment of the NAF’s roles of providing Military Aid to Civil Authority (MACA).
According to him, the donated medical materials weighing about 3,000 pounds consist of 107 boxes of medical supplies and equipment, comprising surgical masks, medical disposable protective clothing, face shields and detection kits, were airlifted in a single mission using the NAF C-130 Hercules aircraft (NAF 913) and handed over by the NAF Aircrew to a delegation from the Federal Ministry of Health led by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Abdulazeez Mashi Abdullahi, today, 25 March 2020, at the NAIA, Abuja”. He stated
Daramola further said, upon receiving the materials, Alhaji Abdullahi thanked the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, for the timely deployment of aircraft to airlift the items to Abuja.
He also expressed appreciation to the NAF officers and men who participated in the airlift mission for their professional conduct.
He therefore expressed hope that the donated items would go a long way in supporting the Government’s efforts in curbing the spread of COVID-19 in the Country.
NAF leadership has also expressed the resolve and readiness of the Service to provide any form of support within its statutory responsibility of providing aid to civil authority as the Nation continues to work assiduously to deal with the threat posed by COVID-19.
