Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has handed over AgustaWestland AW139 Helicopter to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to boost national security operations, enhance aerial surveillance and emergency response capabilities.

The governor spoke during the handover at the 115 Special Operations Group of the NAF Base in Rumuomasi, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, yesterday.

He stressed that his administration would continue to safeguard national economic assets by improving performance, efficiency of security personnel.

Fubara explained that as a member of the committee saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that the country’s critical national assets in the Niger Delta are protected and secured to enhance increased oil production, he would continue to implement measures to achieve success.

He said: “And, as part of our responsibility, we are required to provide basic support in the form of logistics for effective operation, not just for the Air Force but including the Army, Navy, Police, NSCDC and the Directorate of State Security Services.

“Knowing fully well that we are saddled with this responsibility, we were confronted with this request that, having left our Augusta Westland AW139 Helicopter here for so many years, to donate it to the Air Force for optimum utilisation.”

Fubara stated that the helicopter, owned by the Rivers State Government, had been out of operation because the contractor (Aero) the government gave it to use for commercial purposes refused to remit agreed revenue.

He said: “So, there was a problem between Aero Contractor and the previous administration where this helicopter was forcefully retrieved from them. Since then, it has been abandoned here at the Air Force Base.

“When we received the request from the Chief of the Air Staff that they are interested, if we will be willing to donate it, for security operations, we didn’t hesitate.”