The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, has stressed that effective public communication is an operational necessity that contributes directly to mission success.
The Air Chief said misinformation, disinformation and hostile narratives continue to challenge military operations and public confidence.
He stated these while declaring open the 2026 Directorate of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI) Annual Media Workshop and Meeting with Information Officers, with the theme “Enhancing Strategic Media Operations of Nigerian Air Force Public Relations and Information Personnel Through Capacity Building in Crisis Management Skills,” describing it as “both timely and relevant”.
The CAS, represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans, AVM Abubakar Yaro Abdullahi, said today’s information environment is increasingly complex, dynamic and highly contested.
“News travels at unprecedented speed, while misinformation, disinformation and hostile narratives continue to challenge military operations and public confidence. In such an environment, effective public communication is no longer merely supportive; it is an operational necessity that contributes directly to mission success,”.
He therefore tasked information officers to go beyond issuing press releases and organising media engagements.
“You are strategic communicators entrusted with shaping public understanding of our operations, projecting the professionalism of our personnel, preserving institutional credibility, and strengthening public trust in the Service. Every communication, every engagement and every response to a crisis must therefore reflect accuracy, professionalism, integrity and timeliness,” he added.
He continued, “Strategic communication is indispensable to this vision because operational success must not only be achieved; it must also be communicated purposefully, responsibly, truthfully and effectively to our internal and external audiences to achieve desired NAF objectives,”.
He commended the Director of Public Relations and Information and members of the Organising Committee for putting together this important workshop and charged them to sustain the initiative as a vital platform for professional development, innovation and institutional learning.
He added, “as we continue to confront evolving security challenges, the Nigerian Air Force must remain proactive in communicating its activities with credibility, transparency and strategic intent. We must continually improve our ability to engage stakeholders, counter misinformation, manage crises effectively and reinforce public confidence in the Service. Together, we can build a public relations and information system that reflects the professionalism, discipline and operational excellence for which the Nigerian Air Force is renowned,”.
Speaking earlier, the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, DIPRO, Air Commodore EA Ejodame, charged the Service’s public relations and information personnel to strengthen their strategic communication skills and remain professional in managing information during military operations.
Ejodame said that the changing nature of warfare had made the information environment as important as the physical battlefield, stressing that what people believe, see, hear and share could significantly influence the outcome of military operations.
He said that strategic communication must therefore be regarded as an operational capability, particularly in the ongoing counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations.
The Director explained that the theme of the workshop, “Enhancing Strategic Media Operations of NAF Public Relations and Information Personnel Through Capacity Building in Crisis Management Skills,” was designed to strengthen the capacity of NAF information personnel to effectively operate in the increasingly complex information environment.
According to him, the responsibility of information personnel goes beyond writing press releases, appearing on television or responding to media enquiries.
He noted that photographers, videographers, reporters, graphic designers, social media managers and public relations officers must all see themselves as strategic communicators whose activities must support the operational and strategic objectives of the NAF.
Ejodame said that the profession required critical thinking, sound judgment, adaptability, courage and professionalism, noting that while a photograph could inspire confidence, a video could demonstrate professionalism and a well-written report could correct a false narrative, “a single careless communication can undermine years of institutional credibility.”
He urged the personnel to regard themselves as custodians of the NAF story and ensure that their conduct reflected the values and professionalism expected of the service.
The Director also commended the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, for facilitating the maiden Basic Information Young Officers’ Course at the School of Public Relations and Information.
He described the initiative as an investment in the next generation of information officers, who, he said, must be confident, competent, ethical and prepared to operate in a rapidly changing information environment.
Ejodame also expressed appreciation to the Chief of the Air Staff for approving the badge for the Information Specialty, describing it as more than an insignia but a symbol of the profession, identity and responsibility of NAF information personnel.
He urged officers to wear the badge with pride and, more importantly, ensure that their conduct reflected the values it represented.
He further thanked the Chief of the Air Staff for approving the media workshop and meeting after several years, saying the gesture demonstrated his commitment to professional development, institutional effectiveness and the welfare of NAF personnel.
Ejodame urged participants to actively engage with the workshop by asking questions, sharing experiences and developing practical ideas that could improve information operations across NAF formations.
He said the success of the workshop would ultimately be measured by what personnel did differently when they returned to their respective units.
“As professionals, we must remain uncompromising on accuracy, integrity, discipline and credibility. We must be innovative, but never reckless. We must be fast, but never careless. We must be transparent, but never compromise operational security,” he said.
He added that credibility was earned slowly but could be lost in a moment.
The NAF spokesman further noted that the communication environment would continue to evolve with the emergence of new technologies, platforms, threats and audiences, stressing that information personnel could not afford to remain static.
He described the workshop as an investment in NAF personnel and the public relations profession, as well as in the operational effectiveness and strategic influence of the service.
Ejodame urged participants to learn, engage, network and challenge themselves, saying the impact of the workshop should be evident in the quality of their work, the strength of NAF narratives and public confidence in the service.
The workshop brought together NAF information officers from various units and formations, defence correspondents and resource persons to deliberate on strategic media operations and crisis management skills.