The Honourable Minister of Defence, Dr Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has called on the graduating officers of Air War College to rise to the demands of a new era of conflict by embracing innovation, foresight, and proactive leadership.
He was represented by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa.
The 29 participants of Course 11/2025, who graduated today, 24th September, 2025, were drawn from Cameroon, Botswana, and Morocco alongside counterparts from the Nigerian Army and Navy. They were charged to see themselves as frontline thinkers and doers in Nigeria’s security architecture.
According to the Minister, “The rise of violent non-state actors, asymmetric warfare, and complex security threats requires innovative and proactive methods to combat them,” he declared.
“The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has been at the forefront of addressing these challenges, and your training at this esteemed institution has equipped you with the knowledge and skills to make decisive contributions to this effort.”
The Minister stressed that as the threats facing Nigeria grow more complex and transnational, from terrorism to insurgency, piracy, and organised crime, the need for highly trained, adaptable, and innovative leaders cannot be overemphasized.
He praised the NAF for consistently prioritising professional military education as a cornerstone for shaping operational-level leaders capable of meeting both national and regional security demands. He also applauded the role of the Air War College in deepening Nigeria’s defence cooperation with friendly nations.
Such collaboration, he said, is vital for building synergy in tackling the cross-border networks of extremist and criminal groups destabilising Africa.
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, called on the graduating officers to confront terrorism with urgency, warning that “the task at hand is to ensure that terrorism anywhere is defeated before it undermines peace everywhere.”
He stressed that Africa’s expanding transnational terror networks demand coordinated and decisive responses. The CAS further reminded the graduands that they are the torchbearers of the future of their Air Forces, declaring: “The future of airpower rests in your hands, and your ability to employ it decisively will strike at the very centre of gravity of the adversary.”
Speaking further the CAS celebrated the graduation of 29 senior officers from the Course which marks another milestone in building the intellectual and operational capacity required for national defence.
The course, which commenced on 15 January 2025, was designed to produce operational-level commanders capable of interpreting strategic directives and integrating the diplomatic, informational, military, and economic dimensions of national power into the planning and execution of air operations.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commandant of the Air War College, Air Vice Marshal Babatunde Phillips, described the ceremony as the culmination of months of intellectual rigour and professional transformation.
He lauded the resilience and maturity displayed by Course 11 participants and urged them to apply their newly acquired knowledge to practical leadership.
The Executive Governor of Benue State, Reverend Father Dr Hyacinth Iormem Alia, represented by the Deputy Governor, Barrister Sam Ode, commended the NAF for its commitment to excellent training and sacrifice of the Armed Forces in defence of our nation.
The 37-week course sharpened the capacity of 29 participants in leadership, strategy, joint operations, and cyber warfare, culminating in their conferment with the Fellowship of the Air War College, Nigeria.
According to Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday gave the highlights to include awards to graduands Commander PC Onah as Overall Best and Best Research Paper awardee, Group Captain CJ Mbam as Second Best, Wing Commander EA Okeke as Third Best, and Lt Col PNE Nguoa of Cameroon as Best Allied Participant.
The graduation celebrated their achievements and reaffirmed the NAF’s commitment to advancing airpower education, fostering international collaboration, and safeguarding national sovereignty.
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