NAF, Army Deepen Collaboration to Boost Civil-Military Relations, Public Trust
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and the Nigerian Army have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening inter-service collaboration, strategic communication and community engagement to enhance public trust and improve the effectiveness of military operations.
The commitment was reinforced on November 4, 2026, when the Chief of Civil-Military Relations, NAF, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, paid a courtesy visit to the Chief of Civil-Military Affairs, Nigerian Army, Major General Musa Awwal Estu-Ndagi, at the Army Headquarters Annex A in Abuja.
During the engagement, Gabkwet, who conveyed the strategic direction of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, stressed the importance of sustained cooperation between the two services in strengthening civil-military relations.
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He noted that effective strategic communication and continuous engagement with host communities were essential to building public confidence, securing community support and creating a favourable environment for military operations.
The Air Force chief also emphasised the need for both services to share experiences, expertise and best practices to strengthen their capacity to address contemporary security challenges through effective non-kinetic operations.
Responding, Estu-Ndagi welcomed the initiative and expressed the Nigerian Army’s readiness to deepen its existing partnership with the Air Force.
He said closer collaboration and the exchange of institutional experiences would help strengthen public confidence, improve relations with host communities and generate greater support for military activities.
Both services agreed to work as a unified team by leveraging their respective expertise and capabilities to reinforce civil-military relations and enhance overall operational effectiveness.
The engagement underscores the growing recognition within the military that winning public trust, maintaining effective communication and sustaining community support are critical to achieving lasting security objectives.
By PRNigeria
