6th of November 2020, Nigerian Air Force War College graduates her sixth set of participants. The Honourable Minister of Defense represented by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin speaking at the event give honour to the Chief of Air Staff Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar for implementing a success war college and succeeding her sixth set of personnel.
He also accentuated the widespread internal security challenges, including terrorism, kidnapping, cattle rustling, armed banditry and, more recently, the challenges posed by the COVID-19 Pandemic, noted that the Armed Forces has performed creditably well in mitigating most of the challenges.
CDS Delivery @ War College Graduation 2020
HMOD represented by the CDS asserted that AirPower, being a critical component of the Country’s military instrument of national power, has remained a formidable tool in the preservation of the Nation’s territorial integrity. “Aside from the efforts of the NAF towards enhancing internal security in the country, the Service has also attracted tremendous goodwill and credibility to the Nation through the provision of airlift and humanitarian support for the African Union, United Nations and friendly African countries” According to him, the changing nature of warfare poses new challenges to security forces as sub-conventional threats are on the rise, creating a significantly more complex strategic environment, both at the global and regional levels.
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“The nature of these challenges makes it necessary to be innovative and explore contemporary ways and means to tackle them. Invariably, doctrinal development, force structure, planning and equipment provisioning for asymmetric warfare have become much more challenging problems than what is obtainable in a conventional war”, he noted.
HMOD vs War College Graduates
The HMOD also expressed his profound gratitude to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari, for providing the needed support and encouragement to the Armed Forces of Nigeria in furtherance of Nigeria’s constitutional roles. He also commended the Commandant, faculty and administrative staff of the AFWC for their dedication and tireless efforts towards the training of the graduands.
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The 17 participants of Course 6 of the College, comprising 14 NAF officers, one Nigerian Army (NA) officer and 2 officers from the Nigerian Navy (NN), had undergone over 6 months of intensive training in the application of Air Power in both joint and independent operations.
They were engaged with various assessed classroom, wargaming and simulation exercises, after which they prepared and submitted a major research paper. The AFWC course has adequately equipped the participants with a broad knowledge of campaign planning and operational warfare. Although the AFWC curriculum mostly comprises air warfare studies, the College ensures that it exposes participants to an appreciable level of training as well as research in the area of security and defence studies. To reinforce lessons learnt from the African and regional studies module of the Course, participants of AFWC Course 6 visited Cameroun and Niger Republics on a study tour.
Awards & Recognition @ War College
Highlights of the ceremony included the conferment of fellowship and presentation of AFWC certificates to the graduating participants. Prizes were also given to participants who distinguished themselves on the Course. In this regard, Wing Commander Kehinde Akinyosade won the Best all Round Award for emerging first in order of merit and also won the Award for the Best Individual Research Paper. Commander (NN) Abubakar Giginya bagged the CAS’ Best Sister Services Participant’s Award as well as the Best Cooperating Participant’s Award, while Wing Commander Hussaini Ajibogwu won the Best in Air Power Award.
Other dignitaries at the event included the representatives of the Chiefs of Army and Naval Staff, members of the Benue State Executive Council as well as several senior military officers, both serving and retired.
