Air Chief Vows Adaptive, Combat-Ready Air Force as 483 Regiment Personnel Pass Out in Kaduna
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has charged newly graduated regiment personnel of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to remain vigilant and steadfast in defending the nation, as the Service continues to upscale its capabilities to meet emerging security challenges.
Speaking during the combined graduation ceremony of the Basic Regiment Officers Course 20/2025 and Basic Regiment Airmen/Airwomen Course 33/2025 at the Regiment Training Centre (RTC), Kaduna, where 483 personnel — comprising 34 officers and 449 airmen/airwomen — successfully completed their training, Air Marshal Aneke emphasized the need for discipline, commitment, and professionalism in protecting national assets and civilian lives amid the nation’s evolving threat environment.
Represented by the Air Officer Commanding, Air Training Command, Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Dari, the Air Chief reaffirmed the NAF’s unwavering commitment to tackling insurgency, banditry, and other internal security threats through continuous capacity building and enhanced operational readiness.
“We are revitalizing capabilities, developing new ones, and adapting processes to meet emerging security demands,” he stated. “The modern battlespace is increasingly complex and unpredictable. Therefore, our personnel must be technically competent, morally grounded, and combat-ready to defend Nigeria’s sovereignty at all times.”
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Air Marshal Aneke noted that his leadership would prioritize sustained training, strategic investment, and force protection to ensure the Air Force remains decisive in both current and future operations. He also commended the Commandant, staff, and instructors of the RTC for their dedication to grooming the next generation of airpower defenders.
During the ceremony, the new graduates demonstrated exceptional proficiency through dynamic Krav Maga combat displays, precision skill-at-arms drills, and rappelling exercises, showcasing their readiness for real-world operational environments. The CAS urged them to uphold the NAF’s core values of loyalty, honesty, courage, and discipline, warning against any act capable of tarnishing the image of the Service.
Earlier in his remarks, the Commandant of the Regiment Training Centre, Air Commodore C.O. Olayera, appreciated the NAF leadership for its unwavering support, stressing that the knowledge and discipline acquired by the graduates would significantly boost the Force’s contribution to joint operations aimed at restoring peace and stability across the nation.
In a statement, the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, noted that the graduation underscores the Service’s renewed drive under Air Marshal Aneke to strengthen force protection, operational efficiency, and inter-agency synergy.
He assured Nigerians that the NAF remains resolute in its mission to protect the nation’s airspace, support ground operations, and uphold democratic values through professionalism and strategic readiness.
The event was attended by several dignitaries, including the Air Officer Commanding, Ground Training Command, Air Vice Marshal A.A. Shinkafi; representatives of the General Officer Commanding 1 Division, Nigerian Army; Commandant, Nigerian Air Force School of Infantry; Director of Regiment (DOREGT), Air Commodore S.S. Lazarus; and Air Commodore Adagboyi (rtd), former DOREGT, among others.
By PRNigeria
