I’ll Support Defence Academy To Produce Combat-ready Officers –Air Force Chief

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Air Force (NAF’s) commitment to supporting the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in its constitutional mandate of producing combat-ready and professionally-competent officers.

He made the pledge when he hosted Maj-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye, the commandant of the academy, at NAF headquarters in Abuja.

In a statement by the NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the CAS congratulated the commandant on his appointment, describing it as “a testament to his proven competence, dedication, and exemplary service.”

Air Marshal Aneke, who once served as deputy commandant of the NDA, said the visit was both symbolic and significant, adding that his time at the Academy “deepened my appreciation of the NDA’s critical role as the foundation of leadership development and character moulding for the officer corps.”

He further described the NDA as “the cradle of military professionalism, where the future leadership of the Armed Forces is shaped.”

He emphasised that the Academy remains central to producing officers who are “mentally resilient, morally upright, and operationally prepared to defend our nation in an evolving security environment.”

Air Marshal Aneke stressed that sustaining a professional and combat-ready officer corps requires sustained collaboration in training, faculty development, capacity building, and exposure to real-time operational environments.

He assured the commandant of the NAF’s readiness to deepen cooperation, stating, “The Nigerian Air Force will continue to support the NDA to ensure it produces officers who are fully equipped to contribute meaningfully to national defence.”

In his response, Maj-Gen. Olatoye, expressed appreciation for the warm reception and pledged to build on the structures, reforms and legacies established by his predecessors.

He said the NDA under his leadership will strengthen collaboration with the Services, stating, “We are committed to ensuring that the Academy remains globally competitive, academically sound, and strategically aligned with the contemporary needs of the Armed Forces.”