CAS Urges Future Military Commanders to Prioritise Joint Operations, Strategic Leadership

By Zainab Uzomah| Abuja

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has urged future military commanders to prioritise joint operations, strategic leadership and innovation to enhance operational effectiveness in addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.

According to a statement signed by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the CAS gave the charge while delivering a lecture titled “Military Strategic Leadership: My Perspective” to participants of Air War Course 12/2026 at the Air Force War College Nigeria, Makurdi, on Monday.

The statement said participants at the lecture included senior officers of the Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Army and Nigerian Navy, as well as officers from Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana and the Kingdom of Morocco. Air Marshal Aneke said military leadership extends beyond command authority to translating national strategic objectives into operational outcomes. He stressed that effective coordination among the armed forces remains essential to achieving mission success, adding that integrated planning and execution improve the effectiveness of military operations.

The Chief of the Air Staff said his command philosophy is centred on building a mission-ready force through training, personnel development, innovation, strategic partnerships and sustained operational readiness. He added that preparing commanders for future security threats requires strategic planning and policy foresight rather than reactive decision-making.

The lecture ended with an interactive session during which participants discussed strategic leadership, joint operations and future warfare. The Nigerian Air Force said the engagement was part of its efforts to strengthen interoperability among the services and develop military leaders capable of supporting national security objectives through coordinated operations with sister services and international partners.