The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Air Force’s unwavering commitment to counter-insurgency operations, internal security, and the protection of lives and property during his maiden operational visit to the Air Training Command (ATC) and co-located units in Kaduna on 18 December 2025.
Addressing officers, airmen, and airwomen at a durbar, the CAS described Kaduna as a strategic hub in the history and future of the Service, noting that the visit was both professionally significant and personally meaningful.
“Kaduna occupies a special place in the history of the Nigerian Air Force and in my personal journey,” he said, adding that the durbar was “an opportunity for direct interaction, honest dialogue, and a reaffirmation of our shared responsibility to the mission and values of the Nigerian Air Force.”
Earlier, the Air Officer Commanding Air Training Command, Air Vice Marshal Yusuf Dari, presented a comprehensive brief to the CAS on the Command’s mandate, training activities, achievements, and challenges.
He noted that the Command remains central to sustaining the Nigerian Air Force’s operational effectiveness, stating that “the quality of our air operations is directly tied to the quality of training, maintenance, and support provided by the Air Training Command,” while outlining ongoing efforts to strengthen capacity and align training outputs with current and future operational demands.
Air Marshal Aneke stated that upon assuming office as the 23rd Chief of the Air Staff, he prioritised a review of factors affecting operational effectiveness, leading to the articulation of his Command Philosophy.
“My Command Philosophy is to enhance and sustain a highly motivated, professional, and mission-ready force capable of delivering decisive airpower effects in synergy with surface forces in pursuit of our national security objectives,” he said, stressing that the philosophy “is not a slogan, but a working framework that must guide decision-making, planning, training, and conduct at every level of command.”
Commending the officers, airmen, and airwomen of Headquarters Air Training Command and co-located units, the CAS underscored the strategic importance of training and sustainment to ongoing counter-insurgency efforts.
“The quality of our operations depends directly on the quality of our training and sustainment systems,” he stated, adding that standardised training, mission-focused capability development, and the leverage of innovation, emerging technologies, and strategic partnerships remain critical enablers, particularly in Kaduna.
During a tour and inspection of units and facilities, the CAS obtained a first-hand assessment of operational requirements and commissioned selected building projects aimed at improving training infrastructure and personnel welfare.
He emphasised that the prevailing security environment demands sustained readiness and discipline, noting that “banditry and other threats must be confronted with sustained pressure, smart operations, and leadership at every level,” while charging commanders to maintain the highest levels of readiness for personnel, aircraft, and weapon systems.
Air Marshal Aneke reaffirmed his policy of “Welfare for Enhanced Warfare,” assuring personnel of Headquarters’ commitment to their well-being. “A motivated officer, airman, or airwoman is a more alert, disciplined, and effective asset,” he said, while assuring that allowances, medical support, and essential tools for duty would remain priorities.
He expressed confidence that with intelligence-driven operations, a proactive safety culture, and efficient use of resources, the Nigerian Air Force would continue to fulfil its mandate of safeguarding lives and property and protecting Nigeria’s national security interests.
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