The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has intensified the Nigerian Air Force’s operational footprint in the Niger Delta with a high-level visit to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, where he commissioned critical infrastructure designed to strengthen air operations and logistics support.
The visit formed part of the Air Chief’s ongoing operational tour aimed at assessing combat readiness, enhancing operational efficiency and improving personnel welfare across key Nigerian Air Force formations.
During the visit, Aneke engaged officers and airmen at the Headquarters Mobility Command and other collocated units, where he conducted inspections of facilities and reviewed ongoing projects targeted at boosting the command’s operational capacity.
The CAS also paid a courtesy visit to Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, where both leaders underscored the importance of sustained civil–military cooperation in protecting lives, safeguarding critical national assets and maintaining peace in the Niger Delta.
Diri commended the Nigerian Air Force for its continued role in protecting vital oil and gas installations, noting that the security support provided by the military remains crucial to the economic stability of Bayelsa State and the nation at large.
At the Headquarters of Operation DELTA SAFE, the Commander of the joint military task force, Rear Admiral O.B.F. Oladipo, applauded the Air Force for providing vital intelligence, surveillance and air mobility capabilities that have strengthened joint military operations in the region.
In a solemn moment during the visit, Aneke also paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Erujakpo, describing the deceased as a committed public servant whose contributions to governance and development would not be forgotten.
A major highlight of the visit was the inauguration of the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Administrative Management in Yenagoa, a facility expected to enhance administrative training, leadership development and institutional capacity within the service.
The Air Chief equally commissioned the official residence of the Air Officer Commanding Mobility Command and performed the groundbreaking ceremony for additional infrastructural projects aimed at expanding operational and welfare facilities within the command.
Addressing officers and airmen, Aneke praised their professionalism and resilience, describing Mobility Command as the logistical backbone of the Nigerian Air Force, while urging personnel to maintain discipline, sustain operational excellence and remain steadfast in their commitment to national security.