98 New Officers of the Nigerian Airforce will assume their appointments today. – Photo: NAN

98 senior officers of Nigeria’s air force will assume their new appointments today.

The reshuffling of officers within the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) comes after Air Vice Marshal Hassan Abubakar takes on the role as new Chief of Air Staff.

Last month, in a critical move for Nigeria’s counter insurgency strategy, a number of Boko Haram commanders were killed and key housing structures were destroyed during an air strike as part of operation Warun, in Nigeria’s North-East region. However, the Nigerian Air Force has faced pressures, particularly from members of Congress in the United States to investigate an air strike in January that reportedly killed dozens of cattle herders in the central state of Nasarawa. Despite concerns, the United States went ahead with a deal that would send weapons and aircrafts to the Nigerian air force

Concerns around civilian casualties and other human rights abuses committed by the Nigerian military will be areas of focus for Abubakar as he works to implement reforms aimed at increasing accountability within the air force. Support from the United States is likely to continue as it has for the last few years in large part due to Nigeria’s position as a critical outpost to regional security and combating militants throughout West Africa.