The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, has lauded the Federal Government’s strategic support to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), highlighting its tangible impact on the country’s ongoing counterinsurgency and national security operations. Delivering a lecture titled “Military Strategic Leadership in Air Operations: My Perspective” to participants of Course 11/2025 at the Air Force War College (AFWC), Makurdi, on 7 May 2025, Air Marshal Abubakar emphasized that the targeted investment by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has significantly bolstered the operational capabilities of the NAF.

According to the CAS, the recent delivery of 9 brand-new aircraft has added critical capabilities to NAF’s fleet, enabling more precise and sustained operations across various theatres. “These platforms are already making a measurable impact in key operations geared towards enhancing national security,” he stated. Looking ahead, Air Marshal Abubakar revealed that the NAF is expecting an additional 49 aircraft, with several scheduled for delivery in the coming months. “These acquisitions will further expand the Service’s capacity to execute complex missions and maintain momentum in ongoing air operations,” he said.

Providing an overview of operational achievements, the CAS disclosed that in the past year alone, the NAF has flown over 4,500 hours across 2,304 sorties, executing nearly 2,000 counterinsurgency missions. Additionally, over 2,600 anti-banditry sorties were carried out, resulting in 4,670 hours of flight time. In support of efforts to combat economic sabotage, the NAF conducted 366 sorties targeting crude oil theft and illegal refining, amassing more than 1,450 hours of flight time. “These figures are not mere statistics, they represent real missions, real risks, and real outcomes,” the CAS emphasized. He reported that between June 2023 and the present, over 3,496 terrorists were neutralized in the Northeast alone, with more than 121,000 insurgents and their families surrendering to security forces.

On the economic front, Air Marshal Abubakar noted the significant contribution of air operations under Operation DELTA SAFE. “Through the strategic deployment of both kinetic and non-kinetic air power, we have disrupted oil theft syndicates and secured critical infrastructure,” he said. He cited recent data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission indicating a 13% increase in crude oil and condensate production in Q4 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, an outcome directly linked to the effectiveness of sustained air operations in collaboration with other security agencies.

Concluding his address, the CAS urged the next generation of Air Force leaders to embrace the challenges of strategic command. “You are the future of air power in Nigeria,” he charged. “Your leadership, professionalism, and resolve will shape the Air Force’s ability to respond to present and future security challenges.”