In a powerful and defining address to new graduates, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, issued a fundamental charge to Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel: to always protect civilians, unequivocally stating that “civilians are not enemies but the people the Armed Forces exist to protect.” This directive, delivered during the Passing Out Parade for Basic Military Training Course 45/2024 in Kaduna, transcends routine ceremony rhetoric. It serves as a core doctrinal reminder at a time when the lines between combatant and non-combatant can blur in complex security environments.
The ceremony marked the formal transition of 1,296 recruits from civilians into trained members of the Nigerian Air Force. Air Marshal Aneke, serving as the Reviewing Officer, framed this not just as a personal achievement for the graduates, but as a critical infusion of human capital into the service. He emphasized that the operational effectiveness of the NAF is fundamentally dependent on the quality of its personnel, making institutions like the Military Training Centre—the “cradle of military excellence”—indispensable.
The CAS outlined his command philosophy, which aims to “enhance and sustain a highly motivated, professional, and mission-ready force.” A key enabler of this philosophy, he noted, is the “standardisation of training and mission-focused capability development” driven by the centre. The recruits’ six-month transformation was described as intentionally demanding, testing them physically, mentally, and as a team to prepare for the harsh realities of modern military service. He urged them to carry forward the discipline, teamwork, and sense of duty instilled during this period.
Joining the Fight in a Complex Battlespace
Aneke contextualized the graduates’ entry, noting they join the NAF at a time of multifaceted security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, and asymmetric threats. In this landscape, the NAF’s role extends beyond traditional air combat to encompass combat support, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and both covert and overt operations. This complexity makes the principle of civilian protection not just a moral imperative but a strategic necessity. The CAS warned that operational success is rendered incomplete if public trust is lost, reminding personnel that the uniform they wear is a symbol of that trust.
The Deeper Imperative: Civilian Protection as Strategic Doctrine
The CAS’s explicit instruction to protect civilians is a cornerstone of what modern militaries term “Civilian Harm Mitigation” and is central to the principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). In counter-insurgency and asymmetric warfare, the civilian population is the center of gravity. Winning their trust and cooperation is often more decisive than kinetic victories. Aneke’s charge implicitly addresses this by:
- Legitimacy and Consent: The armed forces derive their legitimacy from the people. Actions that endanger civilians erode this consent, undermining the entire mission.
- Force Protection: A hostile civilian population, created by perceived or actual abuses, increases risks to personnel through non-cooperation or support for adversaries.
- Long-term Stability: Sustainable security post-conflict requires a populace that views the military as a protector, not a threat.
Upholding the Highest Standards
Beyond the civilian protection mandate, the CAS demanded the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and selfless service across all roles—operations, engineering, logistics, and support. He stressed that excellence is not optional. Personnel were instructed to respect the constitution, remain apolitical, submit to constituted authority, and conduct themselves responsibly at all times. Given the sophisticated equipment they will operate, Aneke also emphasized the need for continuous learning and adaptability, assuring them of the service’s commitment to ongoing training and welfare.
In closing, the Air Chief expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his support, and acknowledged the Kaduna State Government, sister services, and security agencies. He commended the training staff for maintaining high standards, noting that “discipline enforced during training reflects directly in field performance.” The address concluded with a reassurance to the Nigerian public of the NAF’s “continued commitment to delivering decisive, responsible, and professional airpower in defence of the nation.”
This graduation speech, therefore, served as both a welcome to new personnel and a public reaffirmation of the NAF’s core values: that its ultimate strength lies not just in airpower, but in its covenant with the citizens it is sworn to protect.
