By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) welfare flight has airlifted a total of 332 military
personnel in and out of the North-East theatre as part of routine troop rotation and
welfare support.
This is contained in an operational report made available to newsmen in Abuja on
Wednesday.
The report said the first welfare flight for June conveyed 174 personnel into the
Operation Hadin Kai theatre, while 158 personnel were airlifted out, adding that
the movement, conducted using a chartered ValueJet aircraft, was completed
without incident.
According to the military, the welfare flight remains a critical initiative aimed at
boosting troop morale and operational efficiency.
It said that a cumulative total of 33,097 personnel have so far been transported into
and out of the theatre under the welfare flight programme.a
The Chief of Army Staff welfare flight programme was introduced to improve
troop welfare, morale and operational efficiency in active theatres, particularly in
the North-East.
The initiative provides regular airlift support for personnel rotation into and out of
operational areas, reducing stress associated with long-distance ground movement
through high-risk routes.
It also ensures timely deployment and redeployment of troops while supporting
command logistics across the theatre of operations.
Since its inception, the programme has moved tens of thousands of personnel,
contributing to improved manpower management and sustained operational
readiness.
Military authorities describe the programme as a key welfare and force sustainment
mechanism within ongoing counter-insurgency operations.
