Laraba MUREY
Newly confirmed Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has pledged to lead a disciplined and highly responsive Nigerian Air Force capable of keeping insurgents “running without time to think or plan.”
Aneke made the remark during his confirmation before the National Assembly on Tuesday, 29 October 2025, saying his vision for the force is built on training, technology, safety, and strategic innovation.
“I use the word ‘lethal’ in a professional sense,” he explained. “A man running from you will not have the time to plan to hurt you.”
According to the new Air Chief, true military power lies not in brute force but in superior intellect and adaptability. He promised to build a service defined by precision, professionalism, and purpose.
His confirmation followed a nomination by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in line with Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, which empowers the President to appoint Service Chiefs subject to legislative approval. He officially succeeds Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar and now joins other Service Chiefs on the Armed Forces Council.
Lawmakers commended AVM Aneke’s operational leadership and contributions to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations, which they said had strengthened Nigeria’s counter-insurgency efforts. They also praised his tenure as Air Officer Commanding, Mobility Command, where he enhanced the Air Force’s airlift capacity and joint operations.
Aneke, a graduate of the United States Air War College, Montgomery, Alabama, holds Master’s degrees in Strategic Studies, International Affairs and Diplomacy, and Political Economy and Development Studies. With over 4,300 flight hours across several aircraft types, he is regarded as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished pilots.
Present at the confirmation were the Minister of Defence, Dr. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, and the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado.
In his message to Nigerians, AVM Aneke pledged that the Nigerian Air Force under his command would be “swift in action, precise in strike, and intelligent in execution a force built for protection, progress, and purpose.”
