The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, has said defeating Nigeria’s increasingly sophisticated security threats require intelligence-led operations, joint force integration and the effective employment of decisive air power.
He made the assertion while delivering a lecture titled “Air Power and National Security: The Nigerian Air Force in Perspective” to participants of National Defence College Course 34 at the National Defence College (NDC), Abuja, on Friday, 3 July 2026.
In a statement by the NAF Spokesman Air Cdre Ehimen Ejodame, Air Marshal Aneke observed that Nigeria’s contemporary security landscape has evolved far beyond conventional warfare, with terrorists, bandits, separatist groups, transnational organised criminal networks and other non-state actors increasingly exploiting emerging technologies, difficult terrain and civilian populations to evade detection and undermine national security.
He stressed that responding effectively to such highly adaptable threats demands deeply integrated inter-agency structures capable of fusing intelligence from air, land, maritime, cyber and human domains into a unified operational picture that enables timely and decisive action.
According to the CAS, air power has become a strategic enabler of national security, providing the speed, reach, precision and flexibility required to gather intelligence, conduct surveillance and reconnaissance, rapidly deploy forces, secure Nigeria’s vast borders and maritime domain, protect critical national infrastructure and deliver precise effects in support of national security while minimising civilian harm.
The Air Chief emphasised that the complexity of modern security challenges requires closer collaboration among the Armed Forces, intelligence agencies and other security institutions, declaring that “No single Service can secure the nation alone.”
He added that “Decisive air power delivers its greatest effect in synergy with surface forces,” stressing that sustained operational success depends on intelligence sharing, joint planning and synchronised execution across all domains.
Air Marshal Aneke further identified cyber threats, the proliferation of unmanned aerial systems, information warfare, piracy, arms trafficking and other transnational crimes as emerging challenges reshaping Nigeria’s security environment.
He warned that hostile actors are increasingly exploiting cyberspace and social media to spread disinformation, fuel social divisions and weaken public confidence in state institutions, making strategic communication and cyber resilience indispensable components of national security.
Reflecting on the evolution of the Nigerian Air Force over the past six decades, Air Marshal Aneke noted that the Service’s operational experiences in defending Nigeria’s sovereignty, supporting regional peace operations and addressing contemporary security challenges have reinforced the importance of indigenous capacity development, innovation, logistics resilience and continuous force modernisation.
He reaffirmed the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to strengthening its capabilities through indigenous innovation, advanced intelligence systems, emerging technologies and strategic partnerships to sustain decisive air power in support of national security.
The Chief of the Air Staff reiterated that national security extends beyond defending territorial integrity to safeguarding democratic institutions, protecting critical infrastructure, preserving economic prosperity and ensuring the safety and well-being of all Nigerians.
He urged participants, as future strategic leaders, to continue promoting jointness, innovation and inter-agency cooperation as indispensable pillars for addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
