Cynthia Ezegwu
The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has declared that fitness assessments are now mandatory for career advancement in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), stressing that physical and mental fitness are crucial to operational readiness.
Abubakar made this known on Saturday in Abuja during the 2025 edition of the NAF 10km Walk/Jog Exercise, a routine fitness event aimed at promoting the health, morale, and combat preparedness of personnel.
The exercise, which held along the Karu Bridge–Mogadishu Cantonment Bridge service lane on the Abuja–Nyanya–Keffi Expressway, had been preceded by a temporary road closure announced by the Air Force on Friday.
Addressing participants, the Air Chief said the annual fitness exercise forms part of NAF’s broader health and training strategy to ensure that airmen and airwomen remain fit for the demands of military service.
“It is worth emphasising that fitness assessments are mandatory for career progression in the NAF,” Abubakar stated. “Let us take physical fitness seriously, not merely as a requirement for promotion but as a personal responsibility for our health and readiness.”
He revealed that the NAF is currently upgrading sporting facilities across its formations, following resolutions from the maiden Directorate of Sports and Physical Education Workshop. The service, he added, will soon establish a Sports Control Board to oversee sports development and coordination across NAF units.
Abubakar also directed commanders to encourage participation in local sporting events to strengthen civil-military relations and project a positive image of the Air Force.
The Air Chief commended the NAF Handball Team for winning the Nigeria Division One League and securing promotion to the Premier League, as well as the NAF Football Team for emerging champions at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Football Tournament.
He also expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his continued support to the service, reaffirming NAF’s commitment to excellence, teamwork, and national defence.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, lauded the NAF leadership for integrating sports and fitness into its operational culture, describing it as a “vital pillar of national strength and unity.”
READ ALSO: NAF to Shut Lagos Airport Road for Fitness Drill
“Under the CAS’s leadership, we have witnessed remarkable strides — from the upgrading of sports facilities to the revival of the Inter-Command Sports Competition after nine years and youth programmes that keep young people positively engaged,” Dikko said.
He praised NAF personnel for their enthusiasm and endurance during the exercise, noting that sports and fitness were not just ceremonial activities but strategic investments in the health, morale, and performance of Nigeria’s defenders.
“Every step you take for fitness strengthens not just your body, but your service and your country,” he added.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise featured a 10-kilometre jog for personnel below 40 years and a 10-kilometre walk for those above 40. Winners in the male and female categories received prizes for their performances.