The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), AVM Hassan Abubakar, has issued a stern warning to the 1,123 newly recruited members of the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) against becoming pawns for subversive elements that aim to jeopardize national security.
The cautionary message was conveyed during the Passing out Parade of Basic Military Training Course 43/2022, which took place at the Military Training Center in NAF Base Kaduna on Saturday.
Emphasizing the recruits’ responsibility to safeguard all Nigerians, regardless of their affiliations or beliefs, Abubakar stressed the importance of their role in addressing the prevailing challenges of insecurity in Nigeria while actively contributing to national development. He highlighted that the personnel had completed a rigorous six-month training program, which provided them with a comprehensive understanding of their career path as protectors of Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
“You are graduating at a time when the requirement to ensure the security and stability of the country is at an all-time high,” he said.
The CAS therefore said they must be focused, motivated and innovative to contribute to NAF’s efforts towards achieving national security imperatives.
He pledged to focus on building and enhancing human capacity and improving infrastructure while paying adequate attention to personnel welfare within available resources.
Abubakar reminded the recruits on the involvement of the Armed Forces in several operations to curtail insecurity across the country.
He said the gains of the NAF troops are being consolidated, as such they may be deployed to theatres of operation to contribute their quota to national security.
The CAS therefore urged them to operate within the rules of engagement as enumerated in the code of conduct for armed forces personnel involved in internal security operations.
“You must respect and protect the innocent and law-abiding civilians you are paid to defend. Treat them with respect and protect their rights, by so doing, you will be discharging your professional and constitutional duties,” he said.
He further told the recruits that the NAF expected the highest standards from them regarding civil-military relations.
“As personnel of NAF, you are subject to both military and civil laws, hence you must submit yourselves to civil authority under democratic tenets.”
The CAS also urged the recruits to be vigilant and guard their utterances and conduct at all times.
He added that they must thoroughly familiarise themselves with the Social Media Policy of the Armed Force of Nigeria, to avoid deliberate or inadvertent contravention of any of its provisions.
“Such infractions would be viewed very seriously, particularly in the light of prevailing social media realities and trends in the country,” he said.
Abubakar said they must also remain apolitical and absolutely loyal to the President and Commander-in-Chief while abiding by the provisions of the constitution of Nigeria at all times.
He thanked President Bola Tinubu for his continued prioritising of their needs and provisions to meet operational and logistics exigencies.
The CAS, therefore, pledged unalloyed loyalty and total commitment to the administration’s renewed hope and aspiration for a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.
Abubakar thanked Kaduna State Government and sister services for their support in various ways towards the successes of NAF in the state.
