By Peter.
Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, newly appointed Chief of the Air Staff, declared on Thursday that civilian protection will be the cornerstone of every Nigerian Air Force mission, with zero tolerance for unintended harm.
Speaking at NAF Headquarters in Abuja during his first high-level strategy session with commanders and branch leaders, Aneke aligned the force’s future conduct with President Bola Tinubu’s mandate for precision, safety, and discipline.
He vowed seamless coordination with the Army, Navy, and other agencies to dismantle terrorist networks, eliminate threats, and leave adversaries nowhere to hide.
Community partnerships will be deepened, he said, to ensure operations stay grounded in public trust and human impact.
“Every strike, every sortie, every decision will measure success first by lives preserved, not just targets destroyed,” Aneke stressed.
The closed-door meeting reviewed current capabilities, exposed weaknesses, and mapped upgrades for sharper, smarter missions.
Officers were reminded their roles were earned through proven skill and battlefield need, not favoritism.
Aneke issued a direct pledge: the President’s orders will be executed without deviation, with leadership laser-focused on combat readiness and risk reduction.
“Nigerians are watching. Their security, their faith in us, hinges on what we do next. We will not fail,” he warned.
Grateful for presidential confidence, he launched the session into full gear.
After years of backlash over accidental civilian deaths in anti-insurgency airstrikes—and mounting pressure from activists and locals for accountability—Aneke’s tone marks a deliberate pivot: air power redefined by restraint, accuracy, and empathy.
