Newly confirmed Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has pledged to lead a versatile, disciplined, and intelligent Nigerian Air Force (NAF) capable of keeping insurgents “running without time to think or plan.”

AVM Aneke made this pledge on Wednesday, 29 October 2025 during his confirmation by the Senate.

Speaking with conviction, the new CAS declared, “I use the word lethal in a professional sense, because a man running from you will not have the time to plan to hurt you.”

He explained that his leadership vision is anchored on training, technology, safety, and strategic innovation, stressing that “true military power is not measured by brute force but by superior intellect and adaptability.”

His confirmation by the National Assembly followed his nomination by President Bola Tinubu, in line with Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, which empowers the President to appoint Service Chiefs subject to legislative approval.

Lawmakers praised his operational depth and strategic insight, noting his achievements as Air Officer Commanding, Mobility Command, where he enhanced strategic airlift capability, strengthened joint operations, and improved the NAF’s responsiveness in complex security environments.

Aneke’s contributions to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) were also commended for strengthening Nigeria’s counter-insurgency and internal security architecture.

AVM Aneke’s confirmation marks both a constitutional affirmation of civilian oversight in military leadership and a strategic endorsement of continuity in the Nigerian Air Force’s modernization drive.

A graduate of the United States Air War College, Montgomery, Alabama, he holds multiple advanced degrees in Strategic Studies, International Affairs and Diplomacy, and Political Economy and Development Studies.

With over 4,300 flight hours across several aircraft types, AVM Aneke stands among Nigeria’s most accomplished aviators and strategic thinkers.

As he assumes command, he reaffirmed his commitment to building an Air Force that is swift in action, precise in strike, and intelligent in execution, a force defined by purpose, professionalism, and national pride.

An accomplished pilot with over 4,359 flying hours, Air Vice Marshal Aneke is type-rated on multiple aircraft, including the Air Beetle 18, Dornier 228, Citation 500, Falcon 900, Gulfstream V, Gulfstream 550, and Hawker 4000.

His operational experience spans domestic and international theatres, from Operation Restore Hope in the Niger Delta to United Nations peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC), where he served as Chief of Air Operations, Kindu Region.

His contributions to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations have been instrumental in improving NAF’s counter-insurgency capabilities across multiple fronts.