We’ll make insurgents run without time to plan attacks – New Air Chief vows

Newly confirmed Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has pledged to transform the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) into a “versatile, disciplined, and lethal” fighting force capable of keeping insurgents “running without time to think or plan attacks.”

Aneke made the remark during his confirmation before the National Assembly on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, following his nomination by President Bola Tinubu.

“I use the word lethal in a professional sense,” Aneke said. “Because a man running from you will not have the time to plan to hurt you.”

According to Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of NAF Public Relations and Information, the CAS outlined his leadership vision anchored on training, technology, safety, and strategic innovation.

“True military power,” Aneke stated, “is not measured by brute force but by superior intellect and adaptability.”

He vowed to build an Air Force that “responds swiftly, strikes precisely, and acts intelligently across all spectrums of military operations, a force defined not only by strength, but by precision, professionalism, and purpose.”

During the closed-door session, senators praised Aneke’s depth of experience, operational command, and intellectual grounding, describing him as a seasoned airpower strategist.

They highlighted his tenure as Air Officer Commanding, Mobility Command, where he enhanced Nigeria’s strategic airlift capacity, strengthened joint operations, and improved NAF’s response to complex security challenges.

Lawmakers also commended his leadership in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations, noting its critical contribution to counter-insurgency campaigns and internal security outcomes.

Aneke’s confirmation, analysts say, reinforces civilian oversight of the military and demonstrates the National Assembly’s constitutional role in ensuring transparency and accountability in defence leadership.

It also marks continuity and confidence in Nigeria’s military modernisation drive, aimed at expanding airpower projection and deepening civil-military trust across the country.

“With this confirmation,” Ejodame said, “Air Vice Marshal Aneke legally succeeds Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar and joins other Service Chiefs as a member of the Armed Forces Council.”

Aneke, regarded as both a scholar and a strategist, is a graduate of the United States Air War College, Montgomery, Alabama. He holds multiple advanced 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 described as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished pilots and forward-looking airpower professionals.

The confirmation session was attended by top dignitaries, including the Minister of Defence, Dr Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, and the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado.

As he assumes office, Aneke pledged that under his command, the Nigerian Air Force would be “swift in action, precise in strikes, and intelligent in execution.”

He said the NAF under his leadership would be “a force built not merely for power, but for purpose, protection, and progress.”