The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, has urged officers and men of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to always protect civilians, stressing that civilians are not enemies but the people the military is trained to defend.

Aneke gave the charge to 1,296 NAF personnel during the passing-out parade of Basic Military Training Course 45/2024, held in Kaduna.

The CAS, who was the reviewing officer at the parade, said the ceremony marked the formal transition of the recruits from civilians into trained personnel of the Nigerian Air Force.

He described the occasion as a significant milestone for both the graduates and the Service, noting that the operational effectiveness of the NAF fundamentally depends on the quality of personnel recruited and trained.

Aneke highlighted the NAF’s command philosophy, which he said is to “enhance and sustain a highly motivated, professional, and mission-ready force capable of delivering decisive airpower effects in synergy with surface forces for the realisation of national security objectives.”

He said the Military Training Centre, described as the cradle of military excellence in the NAF, remains a critical institution in shaping disciplined, professional and mission-ready personnel.

According to him, the recruits completed six months of mandatory and rigorous military training, arriving as civilians and leaving as members of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Speaking further, Aneke said the training was deliberately demanding, designed to test the recruits physically, mentally and as a team, in preparation for the realities of military service.

He urged the graduates to uphold the discipline, teamwork and sense of duty developed over the six months, stressing that these qualities must guide their conduct throughout their careers in the NAF.

The CAS noted that the graduates were joining the Service at a time of complex security challenges, including terrorism, banditry and other asymmetric threats, where the NAF plays a decisive role through combat air operations, combat support operations and other covert and overt activities.

He reminded them that they would often interface with civilians, emphasising that the uniform represents trust.

“Civilians are not enemies. We are trained to protect them. Operational success is incomplete if public trust is lost,” he said, adding that protecting civilians remains a core responsibility of the Service.

While expressing appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his continued support for the Nigerian Air Force, Aneke also acknowledged the Kaduna State Government, sister services, security agencies and institutions supporting NAF training efforts.

He commended the Air Officer Commanding, Ground Training Command, and the Military Training Centre for the successful conduct of the course.