On 28th May 2020, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola commended the efforts and conduct of an operational Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission by an all-female crew.
Daramola said the mission was implemented using the NAF Beechcraft KingAir ISR aircraft which had the following onboard Officers: Flying Officers included Oluwabunmi Ijelu and Genevieve Nwaogwugwu as Captain and Co-Pilot, respectively; also Sergeant Njoku Patience and Lance Corporal Shawulu Godiya as the Airborne Tactical Observation System (ATOS) mission operator and onboard technician respectively.
In order news, Flying Officer Ijelu is the first female officer to become a Captain on a NAF aircraft. The aircraft was marshalled by a female Marshaller, Aircraftwoman David Precious.
The mission was preceded by the customary pre-flight briefing. It originated from the 307 Executive Airlift Group (307 EAG), at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport and covered selected areas of interest in Niger State and its environs, where the intelligence that would support NAF air interdiction missions, as well as the operations of ground forces, was gathered.
The Commander of the 307 EAG, Francis Edosa who happened to welcome the team on landing applauded their high rated performance and commended the Nigerian Air Force, Chief of Air Staff for providing a level playing field for all personnel, whether male or female, to thrive and realise their dreams and aspirations in service to the Nation.
He also commended the display of expertise and doggedness that have been deployed by the females in Force in areas that were previously dominated by men.
It is certainly worthy of note that five female pilots have been winged within the period, bringing the total number of female pilots in the NAF to 7.
Daramola said He totally loved how everyone irrespective of gender is given opportunity to spread their wings during this period of the Chief of Air Staff’s tenure which conforms with NAF’s objective to maximise all of the potentials of Nigeria’s vast human resource pool, male and female, to ensure the effective, efficient and timely employment of Air Power in response to Nigeria’s national security imperatives.
