The Nigerian Air Force’s (NAF) K-9 Unit operatives have received specialized Special Forces (SF) Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) training from Paramount K9 Solutions.

The special operations dogs will be deployed to help the CSAR missions, rescuing downed aircrew in conflict zones and other high-risk environments. They will also likely support the search and rescue (SAR) efforts of emergency responders in disaster-relief situations in the West Africa region.

Some of the NAF personnel will be trained to become instructors themselves and will serve in this role at the Air Police Training Centre (APTC) located in Kerang, Plateau State, Nigeria. The supports the NAF’s CSAR activities and training with the 205 CSAR Group, which is based in the same region.

The NAF K-9 Unit, which was established in 2016, continues to grow steadily. And Eric Ichikowitz, Senior Vice President of Paramount Group, attributed the unit’s ongoing success to the tireless efforts of Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar, the incumbent Chief of Nigeria’s Air Staff.

“We are very pleased to see the NAF making great strides to become one of Africa’s elite combat forces. It is a privilege to be a partner of the NAF and we commend their leadership for bolstering the capabilities of the special operations forces and for mitigating hostile risks to critical assets,” concluded Ichikowitz.