The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has inaugurated 129 trainees for Special Forces Course 13/2026 at the Special Operations Command (SOC), Bauchi, in a major move to strengthen its elite warfighting capacity and enhance operational effectiveness in ongoing counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations across the country.
The initiative highlights the NAF’s sustained commitment to developing highly skilled and mission-ready personnel capable of responding to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges, while also advancing broader national security objectives.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Special Guest of Honour and Air Officer Commanding Ground Training Command, Air Vice Marshal AG Kehinde, represented by Air Commodore Yahaya Bashir, Commander 251 Base Services Group Bauchi, stressed the strategic importance of Special Forces training in maintaining combat readiness.
He noted that modern military operations demand adaptable, disciplined, and highly trained personnel who can perform effectively in harsh and unpredictable operational environments, especially in support of ongoing counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism missions.
Describing Special Forces personnel as the elite cadre of any military institution, he urged the trainees to brace for a rigorous but rewarding course that would sharpen their capabilities and prepare them for critical missions in the field.
Earlier, the Commandant of the Regiment Training Centre Annex Bauchi, Squadron Leader Lawrence Akpan, described the training as a vital pillar of the NAF’s force development strategy.
He said Special Forces training remains central to building a resilient, agile, and combat-ready force capable of tackling complex asymmetric threats posed by insurgents and terrorists.
The ceremony, which formally marked the commencement of the course, was attended by commanders of collocated units in Bauchi and Principal Staff Officers from Headquarters Special Operations Command, underscoring the Service’s strong institutional commitment to force generation and operational excellence.
The training programme also aligns with the command philosophy of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, which places strong emphasis on mission-oriented force development, operational readiness, and joint combat effectiveness in addressing contemporary security threats.
