Tinubu to induct five new Air Force helicopters in Abuja
- President Bola Tinubu will induct five helicopters into the Nigerian Air Force fleet on Thursday in Abuja.
- The aircraft are two Airbus H-125s and three AW-109 Trekker B helicopters made by Italy's Leonardo.
- The Air Force says the helicopters will help troops fighting terrorism, kidnapping and banditry.
President Bola Tinubu is expected in Abuja on Thursday to induct five new helicopters into the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fleet, as the Federal Government pushes to re-equip the military for the country's security fights.
The aircraft are two Airbus H-125 helicopters and three AW-109 Trekker B helicopters built by Leonardo Helicopters of Italy.
The ceremony is billed for 10am at the Presidential Air Fleet facility at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, where the NAF has also rebuilt a hangar. Tinubu is expected to commission the hangar as well.
The Air Force announced the event in a flyer on its X account. Tinubu will attend as special guest of honour, while the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, will host.
What the helicopters will do
According to the NAF, the AW-109 Trekker B helicopters will be used for intelligence gathering, surveillance, close air support, armed escort and combat search-and-rescue missions.
The H-125 helicopters will provide light helicopter support for other operational needs.
The Chief of the Air Staff has said the new aircraft will improve the availability of air assets and sharpen the service's ability to respond to security challenges across several theatres of operation.
The Air Force Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the acquisition is part of the government's sustained investment in the service's operational capabilities.
For ordinary Nigerians, the hope is that more air support means faster response to bandit attacks, kidnappings and insurgent activity, and better cover for ground troops.
More aircraft still coming
The three AW-109 helicopters arrived in Lagos on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, as part of a batch of 10 bought by the Federal Government. The two H-125s had been delivered earlier.
The remaining seven helicopters are expected before the end of 2026, according to the NAF.
The induction comes as the government steps up efforts to modernise and re-equip the Armed Forces against evolving security threats.
