Dr. Jonathan Commissions advanced Helicopters and vehicles for NPF
October 18, 2010 0:00 am

President Goodluck Jonathan has once again reiterated the resolve of the Federal Government to arrest those responsible for the Independence day bombings that took place in the Federal Capital Territory [FCT].

The President stressed that he will not play politics with the issue and will not allow the incident which claimed over 30 lives to be politiced.

The President was speaking at the Eagles Square at the commissioning of an advanced combat helicopter and crime scene vehicles for the Nigeria police force [NPF].

The helicopter and crime scene vehicles are equipped with modern facilities to detect crime happenings through extractive finger prints from those who were at the scene so as to ascertain their level of involvement or otherwise.

Some of the features of the 15- seater combat aircraft include, armour plate protection for the pilot and passengers, the helicopter is fitted with a 16 million candle light dismountable search light that enables it to undertake nocturnal surveillance.

The minister of police affairs, Mr. Mu Waziri says the purchase of the helicopters shows the government's determination to improve the police force. The combat helicopters as well as the 7 crime scene jeeps are all fully equipped with modern facilities to detect crime.

President Goodluck Jonathan says that this move by the federal government is the beginning of a line up of his administration's plans to improve the police for better performance.

In a related development, Nigeria has stepped up its aviation sector with the installation of nine radars in airports across the nation.

The total radar coverage of the Nigerian airspace project is aimed at providing complete radar coverage for Nigerian airspace so as to enhance civil and military surveillance of aircraft operation.

President Goodluck Jonathan, who commissioned the project at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja, described it as a major technological milestone for the development of the Nigerian aviation sector.

The nine total radar coverage and its components have been deployed at the four major international airports in the country-Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt. Others are at Talata-Mafara, Obubra, Maiduguri, Numan and Ilorin.

President Jonathan applauded the efforts put into this achievement and called it a 50th Independence Anniversary gift to the nation; he however urged that maintenance should be priority.

The Minister of Aviation, Mrs Fidelia Njeze in response explained that there is a five year maintenance agreement with the manufacturers, and 36 engineers with 75 air traffic controllers have received training abroad on maintenance of the radar.

Aviation experts believe the total coverage radar has ushered in an era of efficiency and security for the Nigerian aviation sector as these radars will monitor all activities on the