The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, has congratulated the graduands of the National Defence College (NDC) Course 33, held on August 22, 2025, in Abuja, while commending the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) participants for distinguishing themselves and upholding the values of the Service.
In a statement posted on its official X handle on August 23, the Air Force described the graduation as the culmination of an intensive 11-month programme at Nigeria’s apex military training institution and Centre of Excellence for peace support operations. A total of 99 participants drawn from the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, the Nigeria Police Force, allied African nations, and international partners successfully earned the coveted Fellow of the Defence College (fdc) qualification.
The NDC course is widely recognised for grooming senior officers in strategic leadership, policy formulation, and the judicious application of force in pursuit of national security and global peace.
Among the graduands, 12 senior NAF officers stood out for their intellectual brilliance and professional excellence. Notably, Group Captain D.U. Edet won double honours, clinching both the Senate President’s Award and the CAS Award for the Best Research Paper on Air Operations. Similarly, Group Captain O. Ige earned international recognition for the Service by winning the Brazilian Award for the Best Research Paper in Science and Technology.
Beyond the individual awards, all 12 NAF officers attained the highly respected fdc qualification, reinforcing their readiness to contribute to Nigeria’s defence strategy and international security cooperation.
In his goodwill message, Air Marshal Abubakar praised the officers for sustaining the NAF’s tradition of excellence, describing their performance as proof of the Service’s continued investment in human capacity development. He also expressed gratitude to their families, acknowledging the vital role of their support in the officers’ success.
The CAS reaffirmed that the achievements of the NAF participants at NDC Course 33 reflect the Service’s commitment to nurturing leaders with intellect, courage, and strategic foresight—consistent with its vision of building a highly professional and agile Air Force capable of meeting Nigeria’s defence and security challenges.
Credit: @NigAirForce via X.
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