Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has approved 100 hectares of land at the Abia Airport project site for the Nigerian Air Force to establish a training base, in a move aimed at strengthening security infrastructure in the state.
Otti gave the approval on Tuesday, March 10, while receiving a delegation from the Nigerian Air Force Ground Training Command, led by Air Vice Marshal Adebayo Gabriel Kehinde, at the Government House.
The governor said the Air Force had initially been allocated 50 hectares, but agreed to increase the size of the land after the military requested a larger area for its planned facility.
He also said work on the runway for the Abia Airport project would be completed soon, describing the airport as a joint effort between the Abia State Government and the Federal Government.
According to him, the state government is responsible for the runway, while the Federal Government is handling the airport terminal.
Otti welcomed the decision of the Nigerian Air Force to establish a base in Abia, especially within the airport premises, which is still under construction.
He said the state government would also press the contractor handling the renovation of the Air Force office in Abia to complete the work before the end of April, so the Chief of Air Staff can formally take delivery of the facility.
The governor called for continued collaboration between the Air Force and his administration in tackling crime and insecurity in the state. He also assured the delegation that the state now processes Certificates of Occupancy within 30 days, unlike in the past.
Earlier, Kehinde commended the security situation in Abia, saying the state was performing better than others in the South East.
He attributed the progress to deliberate support for security agencies by the state government.
The Air Force officer said he had inspected the Air Force headquarters under renovation, as well as accommodation for personnel and officers, and expressed satisfaction with the level of work already done.
He appealed to the governor to further increase the land allocation from the earlier 50 hectares to between 100 and 150 hectares to allow for the development of a larger Air Force facility.
Kehinde said the proposed expansion would make room for a Special Forces Training Centre for jungle warfare operations, which he noted would improve military readiness and boost security in Abia and the wider region.
He also urged the state government to fast track the processing of the Certificate of Occupancy for the land, to enable the Nigerian Air Force include the project in its operational planning.
Top officials present during the visit included the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Navy Commander MacDonald Uba, retired, the Special Adviser on Homeland Security, Chukwunonye Alajemba, and other senior government officials.
