Air Force To Clampdown On Police, Paramilitary, Civilians Wearing Camouflage

Chief of Air Staff-Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has warned the police, paramilitary agencies and civilians to desist from the use of camouflages or face prosecution.

The warning was issued by the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Muhammadu Muhammed, at the command’s headquarters in Lagos while unveiling the harmonised military woodland camouflage.

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The woodland camouflages are specially designed for military personnel on operation in the southern part of the country while the desert camouflage, are for personnel in the northern part of Nigeria.

Muhammed, who said 4,000 pairs of the new set of camouflages have been distributed to Air Force personnel in the South, stated that the service was still expecting 9,000 more for the region.

According to the AOC Logistics Command, the harmonised camouflage was borne out of the need to eradicate proliferation by non-military agencies and civilians, which he said has implications for national security.

“The police and other civil security agencies and paramilitary are not supposed to use camouflage. The only time the police is allowed to use camouflage is when they are in joint operations with the military. All the agencies have been duly notified and the military will not hesitate to prosecute anyone found using camouflage”, he said.

Although the distributed camouflages were sourced by local manufacturers and sewn abroad, Muhammed stated that the military was putting measures in place to ensure that subsequent kits were produced locally.

He also expressed hope that the harmonised camouflage will create synergy among the armed forces and unite them for a common goal.

“The Nigerian Air Force is expecting to distribute 13,000 pairs of the woodland camouflage in a few weeks. The initial delivery of 4,000 pairs has been distributed to personnel on internal security duties in the southern part of Nigeria. On completion of the issuance to all NAF personnel, the old camouflage will be retrieved and destroyed.

“Over the years, the various armed services of Nigeria had used different shades of camouflage for military operations and exercises. Akin to this, was the proliferation of camouflage among several security, paramilitary and civil security outfits. The harmonisation is expected to promote unity among the armed services, as well as foster comradeship and inter-service cooperation”, he said.

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