The newly confirmed Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has vowed to lead a highly disciplined and lethal Nigerian Air Force (NAF) capable of keeping insurgents “running without time to think or plan.”
Speaking during his confirmation by the National Assembly on Tuesday, 29 October 2025, AVM Aneke said his leadership vision for the Air Force would be anchored on training, technology, safety, and strategic innovation.
“I use the word ‘lethal’ in a professional sense,” he clarified. “Because a man running from you will not have the time to plan to hurt you.”
He pledged to build an Air Force that responds swiftly, strikes precisely, and acts intelligently across all spectrums of military operations — a force defined not only by strength but by precision, professionalism, and purpose.
His confirmation followed his nomination by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in line with Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, which empowers the President to appoint Service Chiefs subject to National Assembly approval. With this confirmation, AVM Aneke officially succeeds Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar and joins other Service Chiefs as a member of the Armed Forces Council.
In a statement, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, described AVM Aneke as a versatile officer with vast operational experience and strategic insight.
Lawmakers who participated in the confirmation session praised his record of service and leadership, particularly his tenure as Air Officer Commanding, Mobility Command, where he improved the NAF’s strategic airlift capacity, enhanced joint operations, and strengthened responsiveness in complex security environments. They also lauded his contribution to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations, which have significantly bolstered Nigeria’s counter-insurgency and internal security efforts.
AVM Aneke’s confirmation, beyond its individual merit, was noted to underscore constitutional oversight and transparency in military leadership appointments. It also signals continuity and confidence in the NAF’s ongoing modernization and civil-military trust-building efforts.
A scholar and strategist, AVM Aneke is an alumnus of the U.S. Air War College, Montgomery, Alabama, and holds multiple advanced degrees in Strategic Studies, International Affairs and Diplomacy, and Political Economy and Development Studies. With over 4,300 flight hours across various aircraft types, he is regarded as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished pilots and airpower strategists.
The confirmation was witnessed by key dignitaries, including the Minister of Defence, Dr. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, and the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado.
As he assumes office, AVM Aneke assured Nigerians that the Air Force under his command will be “swift in action, precise in strike, and intelligent in execution” — a force, he said, built “not merely for power, but for purpose, protection, and progress.”
