President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday told the services chiefs to work together and avoid rivalry in the discharge of their duties and responsibilities.
The president also advised them to desist from unnecessary competition, cooperate and work together to curtail insurgency.
Jonathan spoke in Yola while inaugurating the Air Force Comprehensive School and other projects initiated by the former Chief of Air Staff (CAS), now Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh.
He said the security challenge facing the country would be tackled if the rivalry rocking the services could be curtailed.
“I urge you to cooperate. Sometimes in the recent years, we have witnessed some kind of competition among the security personnel.
“But this time around, we will not tolerate any unnecessary competition that will be retrogressive to this country.
“I charge you to work together and I believe that we will no longer experience any unpleasant situation we had in the past because of some obvious lapses.
“We shall work with the National Assembly, all the security services, as well as traditional rulers to ensure that we jointly wipe out the scourge of insecurity’’, he said.
He commended the air force leadership for achievements, “which are socially directed at strengthening its institutions to meet the welfare needs of Nigerians.
“The impact of these projects will be felt, not only within the base, but also in the surrounding communities.’’
He said the projects would contribute immensely to the fight against insurgency and the welfare of service men and women.
Gov. Murtala Nyako of Adamawa said the state was not able to give him a grand reception due to the security situation in the state.
Nyako expressed the hope that insurgency would have been curbed and peace restored when next he comes.
“I want to congratulate the air force for this edifice.’’
The Supervising Minister of Defence, Mr Labaran Maku, commended the Air Force for the projects and the Chief of Defence Staff for his vision.
Badeh, on his part, said the aim of the project is to ensure that quality education was brought to the doorsteps of the host communities.
He said that with the commissioning of the Comprehensive School in Yola, all the six geopolitical zones now have one Air Force School.
The Chief of Air Staff, AVM Adesola Amosu, hoped that the school would impact positively on some of the socioeconomic challenges in the North East zone.
Amosu held that the provision of qualitative education and employment opportunities would help to engender civil-military relationship.
The relationship, he said, was essential for the success of the ongoing counter-insurgency operations.
He said that the increased efforts of the Air Force in the fight against insurgency required the deployment of some fighting platforms to Yola and the establishment of two additional units.
The President also paid a courtesy visit to the Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Aliyu Musdafa.
The president also inspected the Apron Taxiway, flight line offices and transit accommodation, all handled by the Air Force.
