The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has reaffirmed its commitment to the physical fitness, well-being, and unity of its personnel through the successful conduct of the 2025 10km Walk/Jog Exercise across all its formations nationwide on Saturday, 18 October 2025.
The annual event, which promotes camaraderie and esprit de corps among NAF personnel and their families, also featured participation from sister security agencies. The Chairman of the National Sports Council, Malam Shehu Diko, graced the occasion in Abuja as the Special Guest of Honour.
Malam Diko commended the NAF for its enduring commitment to discipline and excellence, noting that the exercise reflects the Service’s dedication to national defence and operational readiness. He congratulated all participants for their enthusiasm and teamwork, describing the event as a model of inter-agency cooperation and healthy living.
Addressing participants, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, said the event was not merely about competition but about fostering unity, teamwork, and wellness among personnel and their families.
Quoting the philosopher Aristotle, he noted: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” He stressed that consistent participation in fitness activities embodies the habit of excellence that defines the Nigerian Air Force.
The CAS reiterated that physical fitness remains central to Service life and a key requirement for career progression. He urged officers and airmen to see fitness as both a personal responsibility and an operational necessity.
“Walking and other physical activities contribute to resilience, clarity, and efficiency. They are vital to building an agile and mission-ready force capable of meeting Nigeria’s security demands,” he stated.
Highlighting NAF’s renewed focus on sports development, Air Marshal Abubakar announced the implementation of resolutions from the maiden Directorate of Sports and Physical Education Workshop, including the upgrading of sporting facilities across bases. He also disclosed plans to establish a Sports Control Board to coordinate sports programmes and conduct nationwide inspections of facilities.
He further directed commanders to ensure stronger participation in local sporting events to enhance civil-military relations and promote the NAF’s positive image.
Air Marshal Abubakar also commended the successful conduct of the 2025 Base Youth Sports Competition, describing it as an initiative aimed at engaging young people productively and curbing social vices. He congratulated the NAF Handball Team for winning the Nigeria Division One League and earning promotion to the Premier League, as well as the NAF Football Team for emerging champions at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Football Tournament in Abuja.
In recognition of these achievements, the CAS announced welfare incentives for outstanding athletes and directed intensified preparations for the forthcoming NAF Inter-Command Sports Competition, which is being revived after a nine-year hiatus.
Both Malam Shehu Diko and Air Marshal Abubakar expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his continued support to the Nigerian Air Force and to sports development in the country.
Diko praised the NAF’s dedication to physical fitness, noting that “a fit force is an effective force,” while describing the event as a testament to NAF’s readiness to defend the nation with strength and unity.
The exercise concluded with the presentation of gifts to outstanding participants and reaffirmed the NAF’s unwavering resolve to maintain a healthy, united, and operationally ready force.