Air aces from RAF Lossiemouth are training their Nigerian counterparts on how to defend their bases, amid rising threats of the sites coming under attack.
Serving personnel from the Moray base’s No 5 RAF Force Protection Wing were invited to the African country to spend six weeks training the Nigerian Air Force Regiment.
The trip is the third that the group has made as part of a five-year programme requested by the Nigerian Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.
He said: “It is not inconceivable to expect our adversaries to target our air bases.
“As a matter of fact, we have had an attack on one of our air bases in the recent past, and current intelligence reports keep highlighting the possibility of attacks on our bases.”
The programme will culminate with a demanding final exercise at a live airfield, where the trainees will defend the site amid a mock attack.
Since the scheme began three years ago, 300 Nigerian officers, across a mix of ranks, have received training that could help save their lives in the future.
The RAF Lossiemouth group’s officer commanding, Wing Commander John Rees, said his 66 men had been “humbled” by their welcome.
He said: “We are delighted to be here again and, as always, humbled by the warmth of the Nigerian welcome.”
The Moray personnel have been sampling local life since they arrived by attending church services and helping with community projects.
They are even planning a UK v Nigeria football tournament to provide some light relief amid the intense training exercises.
