…AVM Aneke unveils doctrine of speed, precision, and intellect — says insurgents will ‘run without time to plan’
By Joy Odor, Abuja
In his first declaration of intent as Nigeria’s new Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke on Wednesday promised to lead a lethal, agile, and intelligent Nigerian Air Force (NAF) capable of keeping insurgents “running without time to think or plan.”
“I use the word lethal in a professional sense,” Aneke said during his confirmation before the National Assembly. “A man running from you will not have the time to plan to hurt you. Our goal is to make the enemy too busy to think always on the run.”
Aneke, confirmed alongside other newly appointed Service Chiefs nominated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, vowed to drive a modern air force defined by precision, professionalism, and purpose, built on four pillars: training, technology, safety, and strategic innovation.
He said the new NAF will emphasize intelligence-led air operations, real-time response capacity, and stronger inter-service coordination, reflecting Tinubu’s national security reset aimed at restoring control over Nigeria’s volatile air and land spaces.
“True military power,” Aneke said, “is not measured by brute force, but by superior intellect and adaptability. We will fight smarter, not louder faster, not reckless. That is the Air Force I intend to lead.”
Lawmakers at the confirmation hearing hailed AVM Aneke’s track record as Air Officer Commanding, Mobility Command, where he transformed the NAF’s strategic airlift capability, deepened joint operational efficiency, and strengthened intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions that have shaped Nigeria’s counter-insurgency campaigns.
Senators described him as “a disciplined commander and cerebral strategist” whose operational grounding and reform mindset make him “the right man for a complex moment in Nigeria’s security history.”
Aneke’s confirmation also carries symbolic weight. It underscores civilian oversight of military leadership under Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20, and reflects a deliberate shift toward transparency and professional accountability in the Armed Forces.
Beyond legal formality, analysts say the move signals continuity and confidence in the Air Force’s modernization drive, an agenda centered on digital command systems, airpower projection, and civil-military trust.
AVM Aneke, a graduate of the U.S. Air War College, Montgomery, Alabama, and holder of multiple advanced degrees, including Master’s in Strategic Studies, International Affairs and Diplomacy, and Political Economy has logged over 4,300 flight hours across multiple aircraft types.
His reputation as both a scholar and operational tactician has earned him recognition as one of the NAF’s most forward-looking officers, blending technical mastery with strategic foresight.
The confirmation marks the formal succession from Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, with Aneke now a statutory member of the Armed Forces Council.
The ceremony was witnessed by Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and Presidential Adviser on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado, who described Aneke’s confirmation as “a vote of confidence in the Air Force’s evolution under Tinubu’s defence reforms.”
As he assumes command, Aneke’s message was unmistakable:
“We will be swift in action, precise in strike, and intelligent in execution. This Air Force will not just defend, it will dominate. Our mission is not merely power, but protection, purpose, and progress.”
