NAF begins mass production of face masks, medical kits

The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) has commenced mass production of face masks and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to fight the coronavirus in the country.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, said this on Friday while inaugurating a tailoring workshop and the newly reactivated Mi-35P attack helicopter at the 115 Special Operations Group in Port Harcourt.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Federal Government recently appealed to tailors to commence the production of face mask to ease its shortages in the country.

According to Abubakar, the tailoring workshop is a replica of a similar centre in Kaduna used for the production of personnel uniforms.

“The tailoring workshop is an initiative that we started mainly for the production of service uniforms for our personnel.

“However, in response to the current emergency situation (Covid-19), the facility has commenced the production of face masks and PPE needed to protect Nigerians from the virus.

“I’ve directed that they (personnel) ensure that the PPE is certified by relevant agencies of government before they are deployed to our (NAF) hospitals and other hospitals,” he said.

Abubakar said that NAF had also commenced production of Liquid Oxygen from its plant in Yola, Adamawa, for use by hospitals.

He said the force was also looking at other areas to support the Federal Government’s efforts to halt further spread of the virus in the country.

Abubakar added that the reactivation of the Mi-35P attack helicopter was aimed at complementing the efforts of ground forces fighting insurgents and bandits in the North East and North West Zones.

“So, we are very excited that our technicians and engineers working round the clock have completed another in-country repair of this Mi-35P aircraft into flying status.

“This means that our ability to project air power has been enhanced in supporting sister security agencies to restore normalcy in some parts of the country.

“We also commend the Federal Government for providing 22 helicopter gunships and other aircraft which have already been inducted into the service,” he said.

Air Commodore Uche Nwagwu, Managing Director, Nigerian Air Force Investment Limited (NAFIL), said the tailoring workshop in Kaduna, which was established in June 2017, had produced about 116,480 pairs of uniforms.

He added that the Port Harcourt workshop had so far produced over 36,800 face masks and 450 PPE since it commenced production on April 3.

u11ae1013:
Pdp and IPOB will still claim it's photoshoped and that the picture was captured in chad

haryorbarmie83:
This is not Nigeria now. Please spear me. Just saying what I know

kinglee007:
The Nigerian Military seems to be doing a lot in this COVID-19 season wey we enter by force. Nice one from the Nigerian Air Force. The next thing thing they should enforce is to see it gets to the end users as it ought to be and not make this just for the camera.

GreatResearcher1:
Air Force. Army hasn't done shìt. Not yet!

kinglee007:

And the pictures you're seeing are? Wait lemme guess, PHOTOSHOPPED right. Na God go help us.

lalasticlala:


Kindly add link to the source

Corporate2020:
While USA is importing from China. World power my foot.

Nigeria, I hail thee.

Anyone who is not proud of Nigeria's effort so far in the fight against COVID-19 should quickly port to USA where they are dying everyday in thousands.

Grayoso:


I have family in the UK right now to include brothers, sisters, many relatives and friends.

It is not rosy at all. I even think the UK handled Covid-19 sloppily and poorly.

Let us praise and support the efforts of our own people and government for now as it seems they are getting positive results overall.