The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has firmly committed the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to strengthening national education security through a strategic partnership with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
This pledge was made on Monday, the 1st of December, 2025, during a courtesy visit to UBEC’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Aisha Garba, in Abuja.
According to Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, the CAS described education as “the foundation upon which a safer and more secure Nigeria is built.”
Air Marshal Aneke stressed that with evolving threats targeting learning environments, collaboration between security agencies and education stakeholders is critical. He highlighted the NAF’s existing role in promoting secure and technology-driven schooling across its 33 educational institutions nationwide 20 primary and 13 secondary serving both military and civilian populations.
READ ALSO: NAF Airstrikes Destroy Terror Hideouts, Foil Attack in Borno, Katsina
He stated, “Our responsibility extends beyond protecting communities to nurturing the future of the Nigerian child,” and emphasized that while the NAF is already enhancing teacher development and facility upgrades, stronger collaboration with UBEC is needed to expand the reach and deploy modern safe-school technologies. Air Marshal Aneke concluded that “A well-educated child today becomes a productive citizen tomorrow,” reinforcing the long-term security benefits of safe schools.
Priority partnership areas include upgrading NAF schools, joint teacher training, integration into UBEC’s digital platforms, and cooperation under UBEC’s Safe School Programme, particularly for institutions in conflict-prone areas.
In response, Dr. Garba commended the NAF’s contribution beyond defence, affirming UBEC’s readiness to collaborate and stating profoundly that “no education system can thrive without safety, and no security framework is complete without education.”