The L39ZA aircraft, marked NAF 354, has been reactivated and is ready for air operations in fighting Boko Haram, armed bandits and other criminal insurgents in the country, the Air Force said on Friday.
Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar, who inspected the ground-run of the aircraft at 403 Flying Training School of Nigerian Air Force Base, Kano, on Friday disclosed that plans have been concluded to intensify the war against terrorism in the North.
Another L39 aircraft marked NAF 364, was being repaired by a team of engineers when The Nation visited the Air Force Base on Friday.
It was gathered this was the second time in five years that the Air Force is repairing fighter aircrafts in Kano, Makurdi and Kainji.
Three fighter L39ZA aircraft are to be reactivated in Kano, nine in Makurdi and two in Kainji, making a total of 14 fighter jets that would be mobilised and put use in conflict zones by December ending, Abubakar said.
He added: “Apart from the L39 aircrafts, we are also hoping that by the end of December, we will see two Alpha Jet Fighter aircrafts coming out to join the Air Force in ensuring that the country is secured.
“Two weeks ago, I was in Makurdi, Benue state, where the Federal Government is equally supporting the reactivation of nine fighter aircrafts. Seven are going to be air-fleeted to China for overhauling, while two will be overhauled locally here in Nigeria.
“The most exciting thing about what we are doing in terms of mobilising assets for the security of Nigeria is the fact that some of these maintenance activities are being done locally here in Nigeria.”
A statement by the Force spokesman, Air Commando Ibikunle Darmola, disclosed that about 23 fighter aircrafts have been reactivated since 2015.
Darmola said with assessment of the ground-run by Chief of Air Staff, the fly test will be carried out on Saturday while handing over will be done when repairs are completed.
