NAF seeks retirees’ support to tackle crime

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Kelvin Aneke, has urged retired personnel of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to support security networks in their various communities as part of efforts to curb crime. Aneke made the call during the Chief of the Air Staff Parley with veterans held during the weekend at […]

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Kelvin Aneke, has urged retired personnel of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to support security networks in their various communities as part of efforts to curb crime.

Aneke made the call during the Chief of the Air Staff Parley with veterans held during the weekend at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Makurdi.

“Let me use this opportunity to solicit your support for security. In any community where you find yourself, if there are activities you think should be brought to the attention of security agencies, please feel free to contact us or other security agencies in the state immediately,” he said.

The Air Force chief, who was represented by the Director of Personnel Management at NAF Headquarters, Abuja, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) David Dickson, stressed the importance of honouring veterans through the parley, which he said was designed to strengthen the bond between the CAS and retired personnel.

He said the engagement also provided an opportunity to receive veterans’ inputs on how to move the service forward and improve veterans’ welfare and management.

Aneke further unveiled welfare support plans for retired personnel, including the Veterans Skill Acquisition and Employment Support Programme, expected to be supported by the Ministry of Labour and Productivity.

He said the initiative would enhance vocational training, while collaboration with relevant industries would enable veterans to translate and utilise military-acquired skills in the civilian workforce

Other programmes underway, he said, include healthcare support for veterans and their spouses; Group Life Assurance Policy (GLAP) benefits for families of deceased personnel; improved remuneration for re-engaged veterans serving in specialised roles; burial support; welfare support for widows of personnel; and veterans’ engagement and reintegration initiatives.

The CAS assured that the Air Force would continue to prioritise veterans’ welfare, dignity and post-service reintegration through sustained collaboration, policy advocacy and targeted welfare interventions.

“The initiative is aimed at improving veterans’ healthcare access, economic reintegration, financial welfare and sustained engagement with the Service,” Aneke said.

Earlier, the Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Tactical Air Command (TAC), Makurdi, Air Vice Marshal Chinegwu Ekwueme, reaffirmed the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to professionalism, mission readiness and national security.

He said the end-of-year 2025 parley, which ushered veterans into the New Year 2026, was an opportunity to thank God for the lives of retired officers and a demonstration of the Air Force’s respect for their sacrifices and contributions.

Ekwueme appreciated the Chief of the Air Staff for his leadership and support, noting that the parley provided a platform to reconnect with senior officers who laid the foundation of the service and mentored younger generations.

He said the Tactical Air Command remains guided by the CAS’s command philosophy of building and sustaining a motivated, professional and combat-ready force capable of delivering effective air power in collaboration with surface forces.

Ekwueme added that personnel of the Tactical Air Command and co-located units in Makurdi continue to work tirelessly to protect Nigeria’s airspace and support the achievement of national security objectives.

Highlights of the parley included medical services for veterans, health talks and paper presentations, including “Translating Military Skills for Civilian Careers: Strategies for Successful Retirement” by Squadron Leader Mathias Tsekaa (rtd.).