The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has credited the Nigerian Air Force’s (NAF) uninterrupted 12-month record without an aircraft mishap to institutional reforms and a proactive safety culture.
Speaking at the 2025 Safety Review Board (SRB) Meeting held Tuesday at the NAF Headquarters in Abuja, the CAS noted that the safety milestone was the result of deliberate and strategic efforts—not chance.
“This is a significant achievement, one that underscores the collective commitment and vigilance of our personnel,” Abubakar said. “Safety is not a one-time achievement, but a continuous process requiring foresight, innovation, and accountability.”
According to him, the NAF’s success was anchored on expanded safety training, enhanced command oversight, and predictive safety management practices. He revealed that, in 2025 alone, over 1,300 airmen and 157 officers have undergone safety training, bringing the total number of safety-trained personnel to 1,199.
“Our goal is to make safety education universal within our ranks,” he stated, emphasizing the need for continued investment in both human capacity and advanced technology.
Air Marshal Abubakar warned against complacency, stressing that most aviation mishaps result from preventable human errors, such as lapses in judgment, communication, or adherence to procedures.
He commended Air Officers Commanding (AOCs) for sustaining quarterly Safety Action Group meetings and called for greater accountability at the unit level.
The Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, in a statement, highlighted NAF’s ongoing reforms aimed at institutionalizing operational discipline, foresight, and professionalism.
Earlier in the meeting, the Chief of Standards and Evaluation, Air Vice Marshal Abidoye, disclosed that 58 units were evaluated and 31 safety inspections carried out in the first half of 2025. He added that safety seminars were also held across multiple commands to reinforce safety consciousness.
The SRB meeting concluded with a renewed leadership pledge to embed safety as a core value across all NAF operations.
