Air Chief Aneke Orders Major Shake-Up in Nigerian Air Force Within 24 Hours of Taking Office

Barely a day after assuming command, the new Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has initiated a far-reaching reshuffle in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), redeploying several senior officers across commands and units nationwide.

The move follows President Bola Tinubu’s recent directive to service chiefs to fast-track national security reforms and strengthen institutional accountability. Observers see Aneke’s swift action as his first decisive step toward aligning the Air Force with the President’s renewed security agenda.

According to a statement by Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, NAF spokesperson, the shake-up aims to boost operational efficiency, reinforce command capacity, and enhance the Force’s response to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges. “The new postings are designed to optimize command effectiveness, improve decision-making, and consolidate the Air Force’s readiness posture in line with the Chief of Air Staff’s vision,” the statement said.

Key appointments include Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Abubakar Abdullahi as Chief of Policy and Plans; AVM Adeniran Ademuwagun as Commandant of the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna; and AVM Ibitayo Ajiboye as Group Managing Director of NAF Investment Limited (NAFIL). AVM Precious Amadi now serves as Chief of Operations, AVM Nnamdi Ananaba as Chief of Air Intelligence, and AVM Ebimobo Ebiowe as Superintendent of Standards and Evaluation. AVM Ahmed Dari becomes Chief of Training, while AVM Mohammed Ibrahim now leads the Transformation and Innovation Branch.

In logistics and engineering, AVM Olufemi Ogunsina assumes duty as Chief of Aircraft Engineering, and AVM Michael Onyebashi takes over as Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Mobility Command. AVM Abubakar Sule will head the Logistics Command as AOC. Other appointees include AVM Anthony Martins as Chief of Administration, AVM David Pwajok as Chief of Communication and Information Systems, AVM John Ukeh as Air Provost Marshal, and AVM Chidiebere Obiabaka as Air Secretary.

AVM Simon Peter has been appointed Managing Director of NAFIL Housing and Construction Company, while AVM Abdulrasheed Kotun takes over as Managing Director of NAF Farms. AVM Edward Gabkwet becomes Chief of Civil-Military Relations, and AVM Osichinaka Ubadike has been named Deputy Commandant of AFIT.

Several other senior officers, including AVMs Ahmed Bakari, Albert Bot, Idi Sani, Muhammed Suleiman, Jibrin Usman, and Japheht Ekwuribe, have been assigned to various defence and inter-service establishments.

The Air Force described the reorganization as a reflection of Air Marshal Aneke’s commitment to balanced leadership and institutional reform in line with the President’s directive for a results-oriented military. “With this new wave of appointments, the Nigerian Air Force is poised to consolidate its achievements and usher in an era of smarter, more adaptive air operations,” the statement added.