Nigerian Air Force Air Component Operation Udo Ka Sustains High-Impact Air Campaign, Consolidates Peace Gains In The South-East

Nigerian Air Force Air Component Operation Udo Ka Sustains High-Impact Air Campaign, Consolidates Peace Gains In The South-East

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, on 6 April 2026 hosted personnel of the Air Component, Operation UDO KA (AC OPUK), and co-located units in Enugu to a special Easter luncheon aimed at reinforcing frontline morale, comradeship, and mission focus. Represented by the Air Provost Marshal, Air Vice Marshal Ilemoma Ukeh, the CAS commended the gallant officers, airmen, and airwomen for their sacrifices and unwavering commitment to internal security operations, noting that their courage and professionalism continue to inspire confidence in the Nigerian Air Force’s ability to project decisive airpower across multiple theatres. He reaffirmed that the nation’s prevailing security realities demand a versatile, mission-ready Air Force capable of rapidly employing airpower across the full spectrum of warfare, adding that the NAF, in close synergy with sister services and other security agencies, continues to record tangible operational gains nationwide.

Focusing on the South-East theatre, the CAS lauded the Air Component for its critical role in delivering close air support, armed reconnaissance and other precision missions that have significantly disrupted the activities of violent criminal elements and other threats to public safety. He noted that recent joint clearance operations across identified hostile enclaves led to the dismantling of criminal hideouts and the neutralisation of key threat actors, thereby consolidating the relative peace and improved security currently being experienced across the region. He stated that these gains reflect the effectiveness of sustained air-ground synergy, deliberate intelligence-led operations, and Headquarters Nigerian Air Force’s continued investment in advanced platforms, force multipliers, logistics support, and personnel welfare to sustain operational momentum. Earlier, the Air Officer Commanding Ground Training Command, Air Vice Marshal Adebayo Kehinde, commended the troops for their outstanding professionalism and assured the CAS of their resolve to sustain the current operational tempo across the theatre. In a separate remark, the Air Component Commander, Operation UDO KA, Air Commodore Dooyum Laha, reaffirmed the commitment of personnel to sustain pressure on violent criminal elements and preserve the relative peace across the South-East.

Reaffirming his command philosophy of sustaining a highly motivated, professional, and mission-ready force, the CAS assured personnel that their welfare remains central to operational effectiveness and mission success. He pledged continued support in the provision of critical operational requirements, while urging troops to maintain the momentum of ongoing missions in support of enduring peace and civil stability in the South-East and other parts of the country. He also expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs, the Joint Task Force Commander, and the Governors of states in the South-East for their continued strategic support to Operation UDO KA. The Easter engagement further underscored the Nigerian Air Force’s people-centric leadership approach, projecting a Service that remains operationally decisive, welfare-driven, and fully committed to national security and lasting peace.