Nigerian Air Force decorates first female combat pilot

The name Blessing Liman, will be  glued to National history books in the coming years as she became the first female combat pilot in the Nigerian airforce on friday, following the badge decoration (winging) of Flying Officer Blessing Liman and 29 other pilots as combat flying officers at a well attended ceremony hosted by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Dikko Umar.

Liman is infact the first female pilot of the Air Force to have emerged from West Africa.



The Pilot officers who had in the last 12 months undergone various training programme said to have cost billions of Naira ($650, 000 each) within the country and abroad in countries such as United States, United Kingdom, Greece, Pakistan, and Egypt include 14 fighter jet pilots.

History making Flying Officer Blessing Liman, an indigene of Zango Kataf, Kaduna state, was born on 13 March, 1984. She enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force in July 2011 and was commissioned on 9th December, 2011. Her outstanding performance helped her in attaining the historical height.

Present at the ceremony, to add colour to the feat achieved by Liman were minister of State for Defence, Erelu (Dr) Olusola Agbeja Obada, the leadership of the National Council for Nigerian Society (NCNS), the Presidential Adviser to the President on Ethics and Values, Dr. (Mrs.) Sarah Jubril, Mrs. Appolonia Petirin, Mrs. Ihejirika and Mrs. Dikko Umar.