By Nkechi Eze
The Headquarters of the Nigerian Air Force (HQ NAF) on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, hosted participants of Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) Course 10/2026 at its Headquarters Complex in Abuja as part of the College’s ongoing study tour programme, in a move aimed at deepening joint operational synergy among the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The visit was designed to expose the senior officers to the NAF’s operational planning framework, command-and-control architecture, and the employment of airpower in joint and combined operations. The engagement provided a strategic platform for knowledge exchange and reinforced the shared commitment of the Armed Forces to integrated operations in addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Chief of the Air Staff, the Director of Air Operations, Air Vice Marshal Adebayo Bamidele, delivered a comprehensive briefing on the roles and capabilities of the Nigerian Air Force within the nation’s defence architecture. He outlined the Service’s core competencies in air combat operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, air mobility, search and rescue, as well as rapid response to national emergencies.
According to him, these capabilities enable the NAF to effectively defend Nigeria’s airspace, support internal security operations across theatres, and provide timely humanitarian and disaster-response assistance when required. Air Vice Marshal Bamidele also highlighted the Service’s expanding regional footprint through participation in peace support operations, multinational exercises and humanitarian missions. He noted that sustained collaboration with partner nations has significantly enhanced interoperability, professionalism and operational effectiveness across the continent.
In his remarks, the Commandant of the Army War College Nigeria, Major General M. Alkali, explained that the course is structured to strengthen the operational planning and management capacities of senior officers while sharpening their strategic thinking and decision-making skills in the application of land power.
He emphasised that exposure to the capabilities of sister Services such as the Nigerian Air Force is critical to fostering jointness and ensuring that future operations are seamless, integrated and mission-oriented. The visit, he added, underscores the importance of inter-Service cooperation and joint training in strengthening Nigeria’s overall military capability and safeguarding national security.
