Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has canvassed more military presence and investment in the state as a way of enhancing security and socio-economic development of the state.
Oyebanji, who said the Ekiti Cargo Airport inaugurated by his predecessor, Kayode Fayemi, earlier in the month, would help grow the state economy, boost agro-allied business and create jobs, specifically requested support of the Nigerian Air Force for the facility.
Oyebanji, according to a statement from the Governor’s Office titled, ‘Oyebanji meets military chiefs, seeks more support, presence in Ekiti’, spoke in Abuja on Wednesday during separate meetings with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, at the Defence Headquarters.
He urged the NAF to make available the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for full-fledged air operations at the Ekiti airport, urging the Air Force chief to hasten efforts for the ground-breaking of its UAV equipment at the airport.
Oyebanji, who said the presence of the NAF would boost users’ confidence and enhance the Force’s operations in the South-West, added that operations of the Ekiti airport would serve the people of the geo-political zone and other parts of the country.
The governor also urged Irabor to site the Defence Space Research Institute at the Ekiti Knowledge Zone, where a huge parcel of land has been earmarked for the project.
The defence chief, Irabor, who assured the governor of military support in the quest to ensure adequate security in the state, also directed an assessment visit to the Ekiti Knowledge Zone.
In his remarks, Air Marshal Amao, who said his office was planning installation of six UAVs in the six geopolitical zones of the country, noted that with the construction of Ekiti Cargo Airport, the UAV for the South-West geo-political zone would be installed at the airport.
He said, “You have made our deployment to Ekiti possible by the construction of the runway. We have deployed the UAV in the South-South, North-West and North-East. We are considering Anambra for the South-East and Ekiti for the South-West”, the Air Force chief said.
