The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has redeployed scores of senior officers to key operational commands, defence institutions and strategic positions in a major leadership shake-up aimed at strengthening its operational capacity and national security operations.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, approved the fresh appointments and postings on November 7, with immediate effect.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja.
He said the exercise covered service headquarters, operational commands, defence headquarters, training institutions and other strategic establishments.
At the NAF headquarters, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Adeniran Ademuwagun was appointed Chief of Transformation and Innovation, while AVM Ibitayo Ajiboye became Superintendent of Standards and Evaluation.
Other appointments include AVM Precious Amadi as Chief of Air Intelligence; AVM Nnamdi Ananaba as Chief of Operations; AVM Ahmed Bukari as Air Provost Marshal; AVM Eko Efiom as Chief of Training; and AVM Mohammed Ibrahim as Chairman, Air Expo and International Liaison.
AVM Gabriel Kehinde was appointed Chief of Civil-Military Relations, while AVM Mohammed Sulaiman became Chief of Communications and Information Systems.
Also appointed were AVM Simon Peters as Coordinator, Project Implementation Team; AVM Ayodeji Laoye as Chief of Aircraft Engineering; AVM Ahmed Dari as General Manager, Nigerian Air Force Investment Limited Group of Companies; and AVM Ndubuisi Okoro as Director-General, Air Force Research and Development Institute.
At the operational command level, AVM NI Ilo was appointed Air Officer Commanding, Tactical Air Command; AVM BR Mamman, Mobility Command; AVM OS Ogunsina, Logistics Command; AVM MN Onyebashi, Special Operations Command; and AVM FCS Nwakara, Ground Training Command.
In other institutional appointments, AVM PB Philips was named Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, while AVM MC Ekwueme was appointed Commandant of the Armed Forces Resettlement Centre.
AVM AO Akinbunwa was appointed Commandant of the Air Force War College, while AVM A Idris became head of the Air Warfare Doctrine Centre.
Other appointments include AVM JA Ekwuribe as head of the Regiment Training Centre; AVM OC Ubadike as Commandant of the Air Force Institute of Technology; AVM AI Sambo as Commandant of the Nigerian Air Force College of Logistics and Management; and AVM M Yusuf as Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
At the Defence Headquarters, AVM UK Abdullahi was appointed Director of Defence Operations, while AVM EOE Ebiowe became Deputy Coordinator, National Intelligence, Office of the National Security Adviser.
AVM DDG Pwajok was named Director of Technical Services at the Defence Intelligence Agency, while AVM I Sani became Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence.
Other strategic defence appointments include AVM AA Shinkafi as Director of Liaison, Defence Headquarters; AVM AO Shogbamu as Director of Military Strategy; AVM RK Olanrewaju as Director of Search and Rescue; and AVM J Usman as Director of Special Duties.
AVM JJ Ijudigal was appointed Director of Sports, while AVM ZA Usman became Director of Cyber Operations.
The shake-up also affected the Defence Space Administration, with AVM AA Suleh appointed Deputy Chief, AVM OA Oyename as Director of Earth Observation, and AVM SS Lazarus as Director of Launch Vehicles and Space Operations.
Similarly, AVM OT Salami was appointed Deputy Chief of the Defence Space Command Centre, while AVM AI Hanidu became Director of Integrated Air Power Studies at the Air Power Centre of Excellence.
AVM OF Akinboyewa was appointed Deputy Director-General of the centre, while AVM MM Omar became Director of its Museum and Hall of Fame.
Other appointments include AVM DO Dickson as General Manager, Operations, Defence Health Care Limited.
The NAF also made further deployments to strengthen its operational structures, appointing AVM JI Ukeh as Commander of the Nigerian Air Defence Corps; AVM OA Abu as Chief of Staff, Mobility Command; and AVM I Subi to Special Operations Command.
AVM NB Folaji was appointed Head of Tactical Air Command, while AVM F Ekpah became Head of Ground Training Command and AVM ES Odekina Head of Logistics Command.
AVM M Umar was appointed Head of Air Training Command, while AVM GI Jibia became Deputy Force Commander of Operation HADIN KAI.
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Additionally, AVM CE Akubue was appointed Managing Director of Aircraft Engineering and Technical Services Limited, while AVM CE Akpa became Commander, Headquarters NAF Camp.
The professional military education and training sector also witnessed changes, with AVM SA Eyoma appointed Deputy Commandant of the Air Force Institute of Technology; AVM FO Ankeli, Commandant of the Air Traffic Services Training Centre; and AVM U Ariahu, Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian Air Force College of Logistics and Management.
Ejodame said the realignment was intended to align officers’ professional experience and leadership competencies with the service’s evolving operational and institutional priorities.
He quoted Aneke as expressing confidence that the newly appointed officers would use their professional competence and experience to advance his command philosophy and strengthen the NAF’s capacity to deliver decisive air power in support of joint operations and national security objectives.
The Chief of the Air Staff directed all affected officers to assume their new responsibilities and complete handover and takeover formalities on or before November 13, 2026.
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