The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, has stressed that Nigeria’s national security challenges can only be tackled through sustained collective action by all security agencies.
Speaking in Jos on Monday at the Air Provost Conference 2025, Air Marshal Abubakar said the presence of sister agencies at the gathering underscored “the undeniable truth that national security is a collective responsibility.”
According to him, terrorism, banditry, and cybercrime “do not respect jurisdictional boundaries” and therefore require a unified and coordinated response.
Reaffirming the Nigerian Air Force’s (NAF) commitment to stronger collaboration, the CAS said the Air Provost would continue to build bridges through “joint intelligence sharing, crime detection, coordinated operations, and mutual capacity building.”
“We must continue to dismantle institutional barriers and operate as one unified force for the security of our nation,” he said.
The CAS announced a series of new initiatives aimed at strengthening the Air Provost, including the establishment of a forensic and digital crime laboratory at the Air Police Training Centre in Jos, the acquisition of new Military Working Dogs (MWDs) for the K9 units, and the recruitment of 100 Air Police personnel annually for the next five years.
He also disclosed improvements in guard room facilities, the construction of new Provost squadrons, and the completion of student hostels at the Air Police Training Centre in Kerang. Training, he added, will increasingly focus on cyber warfare and digital forensics to safeguard the Air Force’s critical infrastructure.
Air Marshal Abubakar expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for “his unwavering support” to the Nigerian Air Force, stressing that the service remains committed to democracy and respect for civil authority.
“Our personnel will continue to be law-abiding, while upholding justice and respect for civil authority,” he assured.
Earlier, the Chief of Administration, AVM Idi Sani, said this year’s theme, “Leveraging Technology, Collaboration, Capacity Building and Training for Enhanced AP Duties in a Dynamic Security Environment,” was apt, adding that it resonated with the CAS’s command philosophy of deliberate training and mission-oriented development.
The Plateau State Governor, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, represented by Secretary to the State Government, Architect Samuel Jatau, commended the Nigerian Air Force and other security agencies for their “relentless efforts in sustaining peace” in the state.
Also speaking, the Air Provost Marshal, AVM JA Usman, praised the CAS for his support and said the conference had “renewed the Directorate’s resolve to harness technology, foster collaboration, and build capacity.”
The three-day event features paper presentations and interactive sessions, with contributions from security experts including AVM KG Lar (rtd), Professor Etannibi Alemika, AIG Emeka Nwonyi Polycarp, PhD, and Professor Kursim Leonard.
CAS Abubakar: National Security Demands Collective Action Against Borderless Threats
