The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, has said that the Nigerian Air Force will always prioritise the safety of civilians and avoid collateral damage during its operations. He recently revealed that the pledge aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s expectations for the military.
Speaking during his maiden meeting with Branch Chiefs, Air Officers Commanding and other senior officers at the NAF Headquarters in Abuja, he shared that the service will concentrate on operational efficiency, safety and professionalism.
He stated that the Nigerian Air Force will keep working with other security agencies to end terrorism in Nigeria.
“We will continue to work closely with sister services and other security agencies to root out terrorism, eliminate threats, and deny safe haven to all adversaries of our nation,” he said.
Aneke further noted that the Air Force will improve civil-military relations by engaging with communities and ensuring that operations remain people-focused.
He concluded by saying that strategic meetings have been ongoing to assess and identify ways to boost the Force’s effectiveness.
“Protecting civilian lives and preventing collateral damage will remain a defining hallmark of our professionalism and operational discipline.
The aspirations of millions of Nigerians rest, in part, on what we do here — on how effectively we carry out our duties and safeguard the territorial integrity of our country.
Let me be clear: we will not disappoint them. Mr President has given clear and express directives, and ladies and gentlemen, those directives will be implemented to the letter.
There will be no ambiguity in our posture. The time for action is now — and we will deliver,” he added.
