The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified its campaign against cross-border smuggling, warning personnel, especially those stationed in the Niger Delta, to resist any form of complicity or misconduct that could undermine national security.

The renewed drive, launched on Friday in Port Harcourt, is part of the strategic vision of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, to strengthen discipline, enhance professionalism, and safeguard Nigeria’s economic and territorial interests.

According to a statement released on NAF’s official X handle, the sensitisation event was themed “The Effects of Cross-Border Smuggling and its Impact on National Security and the Image of the NAF.” It aimed to highlight the grave consequences of illicit trade and its connection to broader criminal activities.

Delivering the lecture, Air Provost Marshal, Air Vice Marshal Jibrin Usman, underscored that cross-border smuggling — including oil bunkering, arms trafficking, and contraband trade — serves as a major financial pipeline for criminal syndicates and terrorist groups across Nigeria.

Representing the Chief of the Air Staff, AVM Usman reiterated the Service’s zero-tolerance policy on indiscipline, stressing that smuggling does not only weaken the economy but also corrodes public confidence in the military.

“Smuggling undermines the economy, fuels insecurity, and erodes public trust,” he warned, issuing a strong caution to personnel to uphold their oath and the values of the uniform.

The Air Force also declared that any officer found complicit in aiding smugglers would face the full weight of military law, describing such acts as a betrayal of the Service and the nation.

NAF personnel deployed to the Niger Delta region were particularly urged to remain vigilant and professional in protecting the nation’s critical assets and economic lifelines.

The sensitisation drive forms part of one of the pillars of Air Marshal Abubakar’s command philosophy, “Deliberate Training and Mission-Oriented Force Development,” which prioritises discipline, capacity-building, and ethical reorientation across the force.

To round off the event, personnel engaged in a symbolic tree-planting exercise, reinforcing NAF’s dual commitment to both national security and environmental stewardship.