The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, has lauded the Federal Government\u2019s strategic support to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), highlighting its tangible impact on the country\u2019s ongoing counterinsurgency and national security operations. Delivering a lecture titled \u201cMilitary Strategic Leadership in Air Operations: My Perspective\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the CAS, the recent delivery of 9 brand-new aircraft has added critical capabilities to NAF\u2019s fleet, enabling more precise and sustained operations across various theatres. \u201cThese platforms are already making a measurable impact in key operations geared towards enhancing national security,\u201d 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. \u201cThese acquisitions will further expand the Service\u2019s capacity to execute complex missions and maintain momentum in ongoing air operations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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. \u201cThese figures are not mere statistics, they represent real missions, real risks, and real outcomes,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the economic front, Air Marshal Abubakar noted the significant contribution of air operations under Operation DELTA SAFE. \u201cThrough the strategic deployment of both kinetic and non-kinetic air power, we have disrupted oil theft syndicates and secured critical infrastructure,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Concluding his address, the CAS urged the next generation of Air Force leaders to embrace the challenges of strategic command. \u201cYou are the future of air power in Nigeria,\u201d he charged. \u201cYour leadership, professionalism, and resolve will shape the Air Force\u2019s ability to respond to present and future security challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, has lauded the Federal Government\u2019s strategic support to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), highlighting its tangible impact on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":8155,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pages"],"yoast_head":"\n