By Ahmed Rahma
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has inaugurated 203 special forces (SF) and integrated combat operations (ICO) personnel to boost security operations of the country.
During the inauguration of the course on Tuesday in Bauchi, Mr Idi Amin, Air Officer Commanding Ground Training Command (AOC GTC), said the training was another effort to boost the capacity of Air Force personnel.
According to him, the inauguration comprised a combined inauguration ceremony of Special Forces Course 8/2021 and the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA) Integrated Combat Operations Course 1/2021 in the state.
Mr Amin explained that the objective of the special forces course was to train the Air Force to conduct special operations in adverse conditions within “denied and semi-permissive environments.”
“They shall be subjected to intense training which will cover physical fitness, weapon handling, unarmed combat, special tactics, repelling among other focused areas,” he said.
“Indeed, the training will be gruelling and only the fittest normally succeeds at the end. Such training is required, given the complex nature of our nation’s contemporary security threats,” the military officer added.
He said NAF has continued to synergise not only with other services of the armed forces but also with other security agencies in order to operate more effectively and defeat our threats.
“It is, therefore, delightful that the NIA found it worthy to send its operatives to the RTC Annex Bauchi for the integrated combat operations course,” he said.
“It is anticipated that this course will serve as a platform for more collaboration between the NIA and the NAF toward enhancing national security,” Mr Amin said and commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the attention given to the training and other requirements of NAF.
Modupe Gbadeyanka 
Adedapo Adesanya