By Joy Odor Reportcircle News
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has launched a fresh push to sharpen the Nigerian Air Force’s operational edge, using a two-day working visit to Enugu to strengthen training capacity and cement strategic collaboration with the Enugu State Government.
The visit, which began on February 5, 2026, took the CAS to the Nigerian Air Force Ground Training Command (GTC) and other NAF units in the state, underscoring a renewed focus on readiness, personnel welfare and civil–military cooperation as security demands evolve nationwide.
At the Enugu State Government House, Air Marshal Aneke held high-level talks with Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, where both sides reviewed existing partnerships and identified new areas of cooperation to reinforce security and development in the South-East.
The CAS commended the state government for sustained support to NAF formations, particularly in the provision of accommodation and the improvement of essential utilities for personnel.
He described the collaboration as a model for sub-national engagement in national security.
“Ground training is the engine room of airpower,” Aneke said. “When our technical and support personnel are properly trained and motivated, operational platforms deliver decisive results.”
The Air Chief outlined the NAF’s broader sustainability strategy, which integrates personnel welfare with operational resilience.
He highlighted ongoing plans linking resettlement housing, agriculture and agro-allied ventures as part of a long-term framework to enhance morale, food security and economic contribution within host communities.
He also reaffirmed the Air Force’s commitment to intelligence-driven cooperation with sister security agencies to maintain stability in Enugu and across the South-East.
In his response, Governor Mbah pledged continued collaboration with the Nigerian Air Force, stressing that security and development remain inseparable.
He confirmed the state’s readiness to provide land for resettlement housing for NAF personnel, as well as land to support NAF Farms and agro-allied projects, describing the Air Force as a stabilising presence in the region.
At the Ground Training Command, the CAS received a detailed operational briefing from the Air Officer Commanding, Air Vice Marshal A.G. Kehinde, on ongoing training reforms, infrastructure upgrades and personnel development initiatives.
The briefing underscored the Command’s central role in producing the technical and support workforce that underpins Nigerian Air Force operations nationwide.
Aneke commended the Command’s leadership for aligning training standards with contemporary operational requirements, noting that modern airpower effectiveness rests on a robust ground training ecosystem.
The Air Chief later inspected training facilities and key operational assets across the Command and other NAF units in Enugu.
Expressing satisfaction with the progress recorded, he assured the Command of continued institutional backing.
“Investment in training is non-negotiable,” he said, reaffirming that human capital development remains at the core of building a responsive and future-ready Air Force.
The visit sends a clear signal of the Air Force’s intent to consolidate operational readiness through strong training institutions and deeper partnerships with state governments positioning ground capability as the foundation of Nigeria’s airpower projection.
