The Minister of Defence, Dr Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has charged graduating officers of the Air War College to rise to the demands of a new era of conflict by embracing innovation, foresight, and proactive leadership.
The Minister, represented by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, charged members of Air War Course 11/2025 to see themselves as frontline thinkers and doers in Nigeria’s security architecture.
“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.”
In a statement by the NAF Spokesman, Air Cdre Ehimen Ejodame, 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 overemphasised.
He commended 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, noting the participation of officers from Cameroon, Botswana, and Morocco alongside counterparts from the Nigerian Army and Navy.
According him, such collaboration was vital for building synergy in tackling the cross-border networks of extremist and criminal groups destabilising Africa.
In his remarks, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, charged 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 January 15, 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 governor of Benue State, Rev. Father Hyacinth 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.
Highlights included awards to graduands, Cdr PC Onah as Overall Best and Best Research Paper awardee, Gp Capt CJ Mbam as Second Best, Wg Cdr 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.
