NAF was deployed to the Gambia to promote democracy – AVM Adesaya

The Nigeria Air Force has declared that the deployment of a contingent of 200 men and air assets comprising fighter jets, transport aircraft, among others to the Gambia in 2016 was to promote democracy in Africa.

The Director of Public Relations and information, AVM O.A. Adesaya stated this today while interacting with Nigerians and the global world on Twitter.

In a #AskTheAirForce in which the NAF image maker engaged Nigerians and the world in a question-and-answer twitter Chat, AVM Adesaya, in response to a question from RuralReporters‏ @lekanpaul on the mission of NAF in ECOMOG and the Gambia political crisis, AVM Adesaya said the deployement of the NAF to the Gambia was to promote democracy in Africa.

RuralReporters‏ @lekanpaul “@NAFSpokesman Sir, may you kindly reveal to us, the mission of NAF in #ECOMOG peace keeping, and the recent political crisis in The Gambia #AskTheAirForce?”

AVM OA Adesanya‏ @NAFSpokesman “FG employed the NAF in both missions as part of its commitment to promoting democracy in Africa. #AskTheAirForce,” his response read.

It could be recalled that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) deployed to Senegal as part of Nigerian contingent of Economic Community of West African States Military Intervention in Gambia (ECOMIG) – a standby force tasked by ECOWAS Heads of State to enforce the December 1, 2016 election mandate in the The Gambia.

The NAF then moved a contingent of 200 men and air assets comprising fighter jets, transport aircraft, Light Utility Helicopter as well as Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance aircraft to Dakar from where it was expected to operate into Gambia. The deployment was also to forestall hostilities or breakdown of law and order that might result from the then political impasse in The Gambia.