Mali: Nigeria deploys 2 jet fighters, helicopter gunships arrive Saturday

Nigerian air component contingent in Mali - Two Dassault-Breguet Dornier Alpha fighter jets took off Friday from the Nigerian capital Abuja to assume duty as part of the first deployment of the Nigerian air component contingent in Mali, PANA reported from here.
The next presence of the Nigerian Air Force there will be the deployment of the Mi-35 Helicopters to Mali Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft have continued to airlift Nigerian Army personnel and equipment to Mali.

The air component contingent, led by its commander, Air Vice Marshal Tayo Oguntoyibo, left the domestic wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport, Abuja, by 4.25pm local time.

Oguntoyibo was the lead pilot in the flight to the Malia operation.

The alpha jets, the lead fighter aircraft during Nigeria's peacekeeping and enforcement duties in Liberia and Sierra Leone, are to be based in Niamey, Niger.

The two fighter jets - NAF 452 and NAF 455 - were flagged off at a brief ceremony which was attended by senior officers of the Nigerian Air Force headquarters, Abuja.