Author: user user

Born on 20 February 1972 in Makurdi, Benue, Air Vice Marshal Aneke hails from Udi Local Government Area of Enugu. The son of Air Warrant Officer (Rtd) Sylvester and Mrs Ngozi Aneke, his early education at Army Children School, New Cantonment ‘A’, Kaduna (1976-1982) and Government College, Kaduna (1982-1987) laid the foundation for a disciplined and purpose-driven life.

He was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of the 40th Regular Combatant Course and was commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a Pilot Officer on 10 September 1993, a journey that has since reflected brilliance, dedication, and steady ascension through merit.

An erudite scholar and strategic thinker, Air Vice Marshal Aneke holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics, a Postgraduate Diploma in Management from the University of Calabar, and two Master’s Degrees, one in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and another in Political Economy and Development Studies from the University of Abuja.

He also possesses a Professional Certificate in Aviation Safety Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida, USA, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). His pursuit of knowledge reflects a deep commitment to informed leadership and adaptive strategy in modern airpower application.

Throughout his distinguished career, Air Vice Marshal Aneke has attended some of the most prestigious military institutions, including the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, where he completed the Junior and Senior Staff Courses, and the United States Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, where he earned a Master’s in Strategic Studies.

He has held numerous command, instructional, and policy appointments that shaped his operational and strategic acumen, among them Director of Policy, Director of Safety, Deputy Director of Operations at NAF Headquarters, Command Operations Officer, Tactical Air Command, and Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy.

Until his appointment as CAS, he served as Air Officer Commanding, Mobility Command, Yenagoa, where he enhanced air mobility, strengthened joint force integration, and improved the strategic response of the Nigerian Air Force in multi-domain operations.

An accomplished pilot with over 4,359 flying hours, Air Vice Marshal Aneke is type-rated on multiple aircraft including the Air Beetle 18, Dornier 228, Citation 500, Falcon 900, Gulfstream V, Gulfstream 550, and Hawker 4000.

His operational experience spans domestic and international theatres, from Operation Restore Hope in the Niger Delta to United Nations peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC), where he served as Chief of Air Operations, Kindu Region.

His contributions to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations have been instrumental in improving NAF’s counter-insurgency capabilities across multiple fronts.

Decorated with numerous medals and honours including GSS, DSS, GSM, FCM, Psc, MSc, MIAD, MPEDS, and USAFWC, Air Vice Marshal Aneke is widely regarded as a refined officer, visionary leader, and professional aviator of exceptional integrity and depth. His calm disposition, strategic foresight, and results-oriented leadership have earned him respect within and beyond the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

As he assumes command as the 23rd Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke brings with him a wealth of experience, intellectual rigour, and operational dexterity that position him to steer the Nigerian Air Force towards greater efficiency in the fight against terrorism, insurgency, and emerging security threats. Under his leadership, the Service is set to strengthen airpower projection, deepen intelligence-led operations, and drive innovation in defence technology and human capacity development.

Air Vice Marshal Aneke is happily married to Mrs Ngozi Enderline Aneke, and their union is blessed with three sons, Chukwuebuka Kelvin, Ifeanyichukwu Brian, and Uchechukwu Jason.

With a deep sense of duty, humility, and service, Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke embodies the highest ideals of the Nigerian Air Force, discipline, courage, and excellence, as he leads the Service into a new era of smarter airpower delivery and enduring national security.

The appointment of Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke as the 23rd Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) marks a new chapter in the history of the Nigerian Air Force, one defined by intellectual depth, operational precision, and a renewed commitment to national security and airpower excellence.

The House of Representatives has unveiled plans to investigate the prevalence, regulation and impact of drugs, tobacco, alcohol, illicit trafficking and related abuses on the Nigerian economy.

According to a statement issued by the Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Hon. Oluwatimehin Adelegbe, the Committee was charged with the urgent task of examining the root causes, identifying institutional weaknesses, regulatory and enforcement gaps and developing practical solutions to combat this menace by strengthening national drug control mechanisms, promote public health and protect citizens from substance-related harms.

In view of the mandate and the urgency attached to it, the Ad-hoc Committee has resolved to interface with relevant stakeholders and other Nigerians with a view to identifying the causes and proffer solution. He therefore ask Nigerians to take advantage of the setting up of the committee to submit detailed memoranda addressing concerns,

recommendations and proposed interventions on the subject matter which will form the consultative process and guide legislative interventions.

Some of the ‘critical’ stakeholders invited by the Ad-hoc Committee are: National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Justice, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON).

Others include: Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of MAN (PMG-MAN), Major Pharmaceutical companies (E.g Emzor, Fidson, May and Baker, Juhel, Dana), Nigerian Breweries Plc, Guinness Nigeria Plc, International Distillers Ltd and Tobacco industry representatives.

Also expected to appear before the Ad-hoc Committee are: Law Enforcement Agencies such as: National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Police Force), Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerian Correctional Service, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Nigerian Medical Association (NMA),

Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN), National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Civil Society Network on Substance Abuse (CSNSSA), Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria (HERFON)

National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Religious and community Leaders.

In the same vein, the Ad-hoc Committee invited Development Partners such as: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Hotel owners across the country have appealed to the government to address the challenges facing the hospitality industry, particularly issues of multiple taxation, poor electricity supply, and the high cost of staff training.

The hotel owners, drawn from states including Kwara, Lagos, Oyo, and Osun, met in Ilorin to renew calls for stronger collaboration between the hospitality sector and government agencies in order to create a more conducive environment for business growth and job creation.

Speaking at the event, the President of the Kwara State Hoteliers Association, Engineer Amos Ajanaku, said hotel operators contribute significantly to the state’s development but are burdened by excessive levies and poor infrastructure.

Ajanaku noted that the hospitality business requires constant electricity, saying, ‘We are battling with epileptic power supply and spending heavily on fuel.’

He further urged the government to address the water supply issue, adding, ‘Many hotels, including mine, supply water to nearby houses, yet we are still taxed for water revenue.’

The Kwara State president also called for a review of the government’s approach to staff training levies, explaining that many hotel workers are short-term employees. ‘We can’t keep paying for training every two months when most of our staff leave shortly after. There should be a more flexible system,’ he said.

Also speaking, the President of the Oyo State Hoteliers Association, Otunba Ayodele Ogundele, commended the unity among hoteliers in Kwara State, describing it as uncommon.

‘It is rare in other states to see so many hoteliers come together. The government doesn’t realize the level of social responsibility hotels carry; we employ people and still bear huge costs,’ he said.

The Lagos State President of the association, Oluomo Talabi Jamiu, emphasized that unity remains the only way to tackle overlapping taxes and policies imposed by government agencies.

‘Unity is key so that government doesn’t turn us into a table tennis hub. About four agencies are doing the same job, and some even help you calculate your gain,’ he said, urging members to support their president both morally and financially.

The Osun State President, Baale Abiodun Ilusanmi, lamented the decline in vocational training, noting that staffing was not a problem decades ago. ‘Twenty to 30 years ago, we had vocational schools and youths who were ready to learn and acquire knowledge. Today, everyone wants quick money,’ he said.

He also defended the hospitality sector’s reputation regarding safety, stating, ‘Hotels remain the safest places to stay because guests are properly registered-unlike some unregulated short-let apartments.’

Former Kwara president, Alhaji Dauda Adebayo Akande, appealed to the government to involve hoteliers when drafting policies affecting the sector.

‘Government should take us into confidence before enforcing rules. Going around locking hotels for issues they don’t understand is unfair,’ he said.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the association, Chief Emmanuel Ojo, also raised concerns over multiple taxation. ‘A hotel with several branches should not be charged for each outlet separately as if they are different entities,’ he said.

President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians to support the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to build a robust and efficient healthcare system across the country.

Speaking during the official transfer of the Akure complex of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) to the Federal University of Technology Akure Teaching Hospital (FUTATH), the President said his administration is expanding the footprint of Nigeria’s health sector in collaboration with state governments.

Represented by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, President Tinubu said the new federal teaching hospital would enhance healthcare delivery, promote medical research, and strengthen training opportunities for health professionals in Ondo State and beyond.

He said, ‘I want to thank the governor and his team for the amazing collaboration and facilitation to get us to the point we are today. His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is committed to changing the health and social landscape of this country and is doing that with focus, boldness, and determination.

‘To the health workers who will now be working under the Federal Government, I assure you that we will cherish you, we’ll build you, and you will commit yourselves to the service of our people and humanity.’

Pate commended the national leader of Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, and the Deji of Akure, Oba Ogunlade Aladetoyinbo, among others, for their contributions to the realisation of the project.

Performing the official handover and unveiling in Akure, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, represented by his deputy, Olayide Adelami, said his administration took the bold step to further deepen medical education and research in the country.

He said, ‘The decision to hand over this hospital is rooted in a clear and strategic vision to elevate the standard of healthcare for every citizen of Ondo State and the country as a whole.

‘By handing over this asset to the Federal Government of Nigeria, we are effectively unlocking access to superior funding, advanced equipment procurement, specialised personnel recruitment, and inclusion in national and international research networks.

‘We are confident that the brilliant minds we train here will benefit from enhanced research opportunities and collaboration with federal universities.

‘I see a future where this institution, now under the Federal Government, will become a globally recognised centre of medical excellence, saving countless lives and defining a new era of healthcare in Nigeria.’

Also speaking, the Chief Medical Director of FUTATH, Prof. Olusegun Ojo, said the new facility ‘will focus on advanced diagnostics and sub-specialist care, reducing the burden of travel and related expenses for patients and their families.

‘It will also reduce morbidity and mortality associated with delayed access to specialist healthcare and medical tourism.’

The Akure complex, one of the three teaching hospital facilities previously managed by UNIMEDTH, has now been ceded to FUTATH, leaving UNIMED with two remaining complexes located at the Medical Village on Laje Road and Hospital Road in Ondo City.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed concern over the sudden change in the leadership of the Nigerian military by President Bola Tinubu.

A statement issued on Friday and signed by Sunday Dare Special Adviser to the President

Media and Public Communication disclosed that the President has appointed General Olufemi Oluyede to replace General Christopher Musa as the new Chief of Defence Staff.

‘The new Chief of Army Staff is Major-General W. Shaibu. Air Vice Marshall S.K Aneke is Chief of Air Staff while Rear Admiral I. Abbas is the new Chief of Naval Staff. Chief of Defence Intelligence Major-General E.A.P Undiendeye retains his position,’ the statement read.

The presidential spokesman also disclosed that the ‘changes in the hierarchy of the Service Chiefs in furtherance of the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria to strengthen the national security architecture.’

But the ADC in its statement accused the Tinubu administration of ‘deliberate obfuscation and outright confusion in a matter that required crystal clarity. It claimed that there is a nexus between the change in the hierarchy of the military and the alleged coup rumour.

The opposition party maintained that ‘The Federal Government owes Nigerians a categorical explanation about what truly happened.’

The statement signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary ADC read: ‘While we acknowledge that the President, as the Commander-in-Chief, reserves the power to make such changes as he may deem fit, we are somewhat concerned that this change is coming in the wake of widespread rumours of an attempted coup.

‘We reiterate our earlier view that the reactions of government to the dangerous rumour have veered between deliberate obfuscation and outright confusion in a matter that required crystal clarity.

‘We note that nearly all the Service Chiefs that have been removed were appointed only 28 months ago, with the current Chief of Defence Staff himself appointed just a year ago as Chief of Army Staff.

‘We also note that this kind of decision has serious and far-reaching implications for stability within the ranks and therefore could not have been taken without strong reasons.

‘Our position remains therefore that the Federal Government owes Nigerians a categorical explanation about what truly happened.

‘As an opposition political party, our interest remains the stability of our country and our democracy. In the light of developments in our neighbourhood of Chad and the Sahel States, we are gravely concerned.

‘Without prejudice to what might have happened in recent weeks, it is obvious that the Tinubu administration is distracted. Insecurity continues to spread with terrorist groups staging a comeback in some parts of the country, while bandits reign supreme in other parts. But this is not the reason the government is changing the Service Chiefs. Instead, the administration’s attention appears fully focused on regime politics rather than securing the lives of Nigerians.

‘This action of near wholesale change in the leadership of the country’s military, if anything, will only further promote rumours and conspiracy theories.

‘We therefore reiterate our earlier position that the Federal Government must address the issue transparently and reassure Nigerians that our democracy is not under threat.’

Following the suspension of United States Government global health funding, the Ogun State Government, in collaboration with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), has inaugurated the Health Systems Sustainability Task Force to strengthen resilience, ensure coordinated service delivery, and promote government ownership of critical health functions.

Speaking during the inauguration in Abeokuta, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, who chairs the Task Force, said the move was necessitated by the disruptions caused by the suspension of global health funding earlier in the year, which exposed vulnerabilities in Nigeria’s health system and affected essential services such as HIV, Tuberculosis, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (RMNCH), and malaria interventions.

Dr. Coker, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Kayode Oladehinde, explained that the Task Force would coordinate government and partner response efforts, drive accountability, develop sustainable mechanisms to address systemic bottlenecks in service delivery, workforce, health financing, commodities and data management.

She noted that the multi-stakeholder platform would provide decision support to the Governor and Executive Council while ensuring that lessons learned are documented and shared with other States and National platforms.

The Task Force, according to her, would advocate for high-level political commitment, conduct a situational analysis of the health sector and establish technical subcommittees on service delivery, human resources for health, health financing, supply chain, health data systems, and health security.

The Commissioner emphasised that the Task Force would report periodically to the Governor and engage with the Federal Ministry of Health to align State actions with national priorities, reaffirming the government’s commitment to building a resilient system capable of withstanding future shocks and ensuring uninterrupted services for the people of Ogun State.

‘The task before us is enormous, but I am glad that this initiative reflects the State Government’s vision to achieve sustainable health for all Ogun residents through stronger coordination, adequate financing, and institutional accountability across all levels of the health system,’ she added.

In his goodwill message, the State Coordinator of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Mr. Solape Folarin, described the initiative as inevitable for sustaining the gains of the various health programmes evident in Ogun State and called for the inclusion of all stakeholders in the health sector to achieve the outlined objectives.

The Executive Director of the Youth Future Savers Initiative (YFSI), Mr. Tayo Akinpelu, who spoke on behalf of Civil Society Organisations in the State, assured of meaningful contributions towards ensuring that the Task Force delivers effectively on the assignment it has been saddled with.