The newly appointed Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Kennedy Aneke, has assured Nigerians that the country’s Super Tucano fighter jets are in excellent condition and actively engaged in the ongoing fight against terrorism in the North-East and North-West regions.
Aneke gave the assurance on Wednesday during his screening before the Senate in Abuja.
Responding to questions from lawmakers concerning reports that the fighter jets were no longer operational, the Air Chief dismissed the claims as false.
He explained that Nigerian Air Force pilots continue to deploy the aircraft with precision and intensity in counterterrorism operations. “Our Super Tucanos are fully functional and have been instrumental in recent missions.
Our pilots are engaging criminal elements with sustained intensity,” he told the lawmakers, addressing Senate President Godswill Akpabio directly.
The screening also featured other newly appointed service chiefs, including the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Army Staff, Major General Waidi Shaibu; and Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas.
The session, which held in plenary and later went into a closed-door meeting, was part of the Senate’s confirmation process following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s nomination of the new military chiefs on Tuesday.
The new service chiefs were appointed after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu relieved their predecessors of their duties, following intelligence reports and heightened concerns over a possible coup plot within the military.
The reshuffle was seen as a decisive move to reinforce loyalty, stability, and professionalism within Nigeria’s armed forces.
