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| Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao |
In a swift action that is already earning him praise, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao has ordered the suspension of the Air Force officer who prevented Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom from entering the Makurdi Air Force Base on the morning of Saturday, 12th February 2022, Quest Times can report exclusively.
Sources said the Chief of Air Force ordered the officer’s (whose name has not been released) suspension on hearing of the incident and assigned a new Air Officer to take charge.
Ortom was at the Air Force base on Saturday morning to receive the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo who was passing through from Abuja to Taraba State where he was going to represent the President as Visitor to the Federal University in Wukari.
The Benue State Governor was however prevented from accessing the base against normal protocol that would alert a state governor when the President or the VP were visiting or passing-by their areas.
READ ALSO: Vice President Yemi Osibanjo Apologize to Ortom over Airport Drama in Makurdi
Ortom received such protocol alert and decided to personally receive the VP who was in transit. He was shocked to have been prevented and he promptly addressed the press on the matter which immediately went viral online.
Sources close to the Governor said he also complained to federal authorities including the VP, who was also surprised at the action of the Air Force officer and demanded an explanation. It was in the aftermath of this, that the Chief of Air Staff ordered the officer suspended.
Eventually the Governor Ortom returned to the Base and received the VP on his return from Taraba.
Reports had earlier today reported that Air Force security stopped Ortom from receiving the VP while he was in transit passing through Makurdi.
In his briefing to journalists at Government House Makurdi right after, Governor Ortom said the action of the Airforce officer is “unacceptable, breach of protocol, and politics taken too far.”
Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao became the Chief of Air Staff of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on January 26, 2021, on the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He is said to be a forthright military officer who has tremendous respect among his peers.
#Source:- Thequesttimes
