President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke as the 23rd Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Nigerian Air Force, marking a new phase in the leadership of the service amid the nation’s ongoing security and defence restructuring.

AVM Aneke, who succeeds Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, brings to the position over three decades of operational and strategic military experience spanning air mobility, intelligence, and multinational peace operations.

Born on February 20, 1972, in Makurdi, Benue State, the new Air Chief hails from Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State. A product of the 40th Regular Combatant Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, he was commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a Pilot Officer on September 10, 1993.

An accomplished pilot with more than 4,300 flying hours, Aneke is type-rated on several aircraft, including the Dornier 228, Falcon 900, Gulfstream V, and Hawker 4000. His operational record covers both domestic and international assignments, notably Operation Restore Hope in the Niger Delta and the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC), where he served as Chief of Air Operations, Kindu Region.

Before his appointment, he was the Air Officer Commanding, Mobility Command, Yenagoa, where he enhanced strategic airlift operations, strengthened joint force integration, and improved the Nigerian Air Force’s response to national emergencies.

A consummate professional and scholar, AVM Aneke holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics, a Postgraduate Diploma in Management, and two Master’s degrees in International Affairs and Diplomacy, and in Political Economy and Development Studies. He also possesses a professional certificate in Aviation Safety Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida, and is pursuing a PhD.

His military education includes the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, and the United States Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, where he obtained a Master’s in Strategic Studies.

AVM Aneke has held several command and policy roles, including Director of Policy, Director of Safety, and Deputy Director of Operations at the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters. He also served as Command Operations Officer, Tactical Air Command, and Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy.

Decorated with several service medals, including GSS, DSS, GSM, and FCM, the new Chief of Air Staff is widely respected within the military for his calm leadership style, professionalism, and commitment to operational excellence.

As he assumes office, expectations are high that his tenure will consolidate gains in airpower projection, intelligence-led operations, and technological innovation in Nigeria’s air defence architecture.

Air Vice Marshal Aneke is married to Mrs. Ngozi Enderline Aneke, and the union is blessed with three sons.

AVM Sunday Aneke takes over as Nigeria’s 23rd Chief of Air Staff

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