The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Kelvin Aneke, on Friday reaffirmed the Nigerian Air Force’s (NAF) unwavering commitment to defending the nation and eliminating insurgents, terrorists, and other criminal elements threatening peace and stability.

Air Marshal Aneke gave the assurance during an operational visit to the Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA (OPFY) Sector 2/213 Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Katsina.

He charged personnel to intensify their efforts in fulfilling the directive of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
, President Bola Tinubu, to decisively eliminate all threats to the safety and security of Nigerians.

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Kelvin Aneke during an operational visit to the Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA (OPFY) Sector 2/213 Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Katsina.
The CAS emphasized that the unprecedented support of the Federal Government—through the acquisition of modern platforms, advanced weaponry, and enhanced professional training—places a solemn responsibility on the Nigerian Air Force to deliver decisive outcomes.

According to him, Nigeria’s security landscape has grown increasingly complex, with ruthless non-state actors spreading violence and causing significant loss of innocent lives.
He reminded personnel that the sacrifices of fallen NAF heroes demand unwavering resolve, urging them to remain agile, innovative, and ruthlessly precise in confronting security threats.

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Kelvin Aneke during an operational visit to the Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA (OPFY) Sector 2/213 Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Katsina.
“We cannot relent for a moment,” he warned. “The nation is counting on us to restore peace and reclaim every inch of territory challenged by insurgents and criminals.”
Air Marshal Aneke commended the troops for their courage, precision, and professionalism despite the operational challenges of the region. He vowed that the NAF would not rest until every threat to Nigeria’s sovereignty is neutralised.
“Wherever they hide—whether in forests, valleys, or remote villages—our forces will find them, and we will strike with precision. Our mission is clear: to hunt them down and protect our people.”
He urged personnel to sustain operational momentum and ensure that every mission reflects the NAF’s core values of discipline, service, and patriotism.

Reiterating his leadership philosophy anchored on decisive warfare and robust welfare, the CAS stressed that the fight against insecurity must go hand-in-hand with the well-being of personnel.
“A force that fights hard must also live well,” he declared. “Under my leadership, your welfare, training, and equipment will match your courage in the field. You are the nation’s shield, and your safety and morale are non-negotiable.”

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Kelvin Aneke during an operational visit to the Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA (OPFY) Sector 2/213 Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Katsina.
He further affirmed that the NAF will continue investing in modern capabilities, intelligence systems, and technology-driven operations to secure lasting dominance in the air and deliver strategic effects on the ground.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Air Officer Commanding Special Operations Command, Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Idris, assured the CAS of the unwavering readiness and commitment of troops to actualize his strategic vision for the Nigerian Air Force.
This was followed by an operational brief by the Air Component Commander, Air Commodore C.E. Illoh, who presented the current campaign plan, recent operational gains, and evolving strategies for countering threats across the theatre.
The CAS, accompanied by key Branch Chiefs and senior officers from Headquarters NAF, then undertook an extensive tour of critical operational and administrative facilities including the Operations, Engineering, and Logistics areas, as well as base medical, sporting, and recreational infrastructures.
The visit concluded with an interactive durbar with officers, airmen, and airwomen. The CAS addressed their concerns, commended their dedication, and charged them to renew their resolve.
“You represent the pride of our nation and the hope of millions who sleep in peace because you stay awake,” he said. “This fight is bigger than defeating enemies; it is about securing our future. We must fly smarter, strike harder, and protect every Nigerian life with honour.”
He further directed that “every flight must count,” stressing the importance of actionable intelligence in contributing to the overall campaign plan.
In a statement, the Director of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, noted that the CAS’s visit to Operation FANSAN YAMMA Sector 2 reaffirms the Nigerian Air Force’s resolve—under Air Marshal Aneke’s leadership—to pursue decisive, intelligence-driven, and precision-led operations aimed at safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial integrity and protecting its citizens.

The Lagos State Police Command has officially established that former Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Ondo State, Bamidele Akingboye, was murdered.

Speaking exclusively to Channels Television, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olorundare Jimoh, confirmed that the police had received the results of the autopsy and were now prepared to move forward with further investigation and prosecution.
According to CP Jimoh, the autopsy, conducted on September 11, along with other recent findings, led to the arrest and re-detention of seven out of the fourteen members of the Akingboye family earlier invited for questioning.
The police are currently awaiting legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) to determine the next steps.

Earlier, detectives of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, had arrested and interrogated nine close family members and aides in connection with the death.
One of the early red flags investigated by detectives was a suspicious transfer of ₦50 million from the late Akingboye’s account, allegedly shared by some members of his immediate family, among other issues.
CP Jimoh stated, “With the toxicology findings concluded, we await advice from the DPP so prosecution can begin against anyone found culpable of murder.”
Before now, Channels Television had conducted an exclusive crime-scene interview with some family members who expressed confidence that the police would carry out a thorough investigation.

Akingboye was reported to have died under uncertain circumstances on September 3rd, with family members and aides claiming that his body was discovered in the backyard of his mansion.
His first son, Samuel Akingboye, who resides in Ondo State, alerted the police and called for a comprehensive investigation to unravel the mystery surrounding his father’s death.
CP Olorundare Jimoh has reaffirmed his commitment to uncovering the truth and bringing anyone involved to justice.

US lawmakers have called for the Trump administration to respond to reporting that Chinese firms are helping Iran rebuild its ballistic missile program in defiance of United Nations sanctions.

The call, from Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi and Joe Courtney, follows CNN reporting last month detailing what Western intelligence sources said were several shipments of sodium perchlorate, a missile propellant precursor, from China to Iran since the end of September.

These shipments are “indispensable to Tehran’s efforts to rebuild its ballistic missile arsenal following its 12-day war with Israel last summer,” the congressmen wrote in a letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Central Intelligence Agency director John Ratcliffe.

“Beijing’s support for Tehran’s rearmament is deeply concerning and provides yet another example of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) willingness to abet authoritarian aggression from Europe to the Middle East,” they said.

According to CNN’s reporting, European intelligence sources say 2,000 tons of sodium perchlorate, the main precursor in the production of the solid propellant that powers Iran’s mid-range conventional missiles, have arrived from China to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas between late September and mid-October. The chemicals were bought by Iran from Chinese suppliers, the sources say.

The deliveries, which analysts say could provide enough chemical for roughly 500 ballistic missiles, appear to show Iran is stepping up the rebuilding of its missile program, which was depleted by the conflict with Israel in June.

They also come as there has been increased concern in Washington about potential emerging coordination between China, Iran, Russia and North Korea. US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met last month for talks that resulted in an economic truce de-escalating their trade war.

“Beijing’s latest shipments of these critical chemical precursors indicate that US actions to date have failed to deter it from supporting Tehran’s procurement of offensive military capabilities,” Krishnamoorthi, who is the ranking member of the House Select Committee on the CCP, and Courtney, ranking member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, wrote in their letter.

Beijing’s support “not only increases Iran’s threat to its neighbors but also assists Russia and pro-Iranian proxy groups like the Houthis whose missile programs Iran has previously supported,” the Congressmen said.

The shipments also “contravene sanctions the United Nations reinstated in September that prohibit international support for Iran’s ballistic missile program and development of nuclear weapons delivery systems,” they added.

Krishnamoorthi and Courtney called for the Trump administration to explain what actions it was taking to “respond to the PRC’s (People’s Republic of China) continuing support to Iran’s ballistic missile program,” including in coordination with US allies and partners.

The Trump administration in April announced sanctions on a dozen entities and individuals based in Iran and China for their role procuring ballistic missile propellant ingredients on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Last month, more-than-a-decade-old UN sanctions on Tehran were restored by a so-called snapback mechanism – a provision for Iranian breaches of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) deal to monitor its nuclear program.

Under the sanctions re-imposed last month, Iran shall not undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. UN member states must also prevent the provision to Iran of materials that could contribute to the country’s development of a nuclear weapons delivery system, which experts say could include ballistic missiles.

States are also required to prevent the provision to Iran of assistance in the manufacture of arms.

While the shipped substance – sodium perchlorate – is not specifically named in UN documents on materials banned for export to Iran, it is a direct precursor of ammonium perchlorate, a listed and prohibited oxidizer used in ballistic missiles.

China and Iran
Experts say that the sanctions’ failure to explicitly prohibit the chemical may leave China room to argue that it is not in violation of any UN ban. China, along with Russia, opposed the reimposition of the UN sanctions, saying it undermines efforts for a “diplomatic settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue,” and may not see it bound by those rules, as such.

In response to a question from CNN last month about the recent shipments, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that while he “not familiar with the specific situation,” China has “consistently implemented export controls on dual-use items in accordance with its international obligations and domestic laws and regulations.”

“We want to emphasize that China is committed to peacefully resolving the Iranian nuclear issue through political and diplomatic means and opposes sanctions and pressure,” the spokesperson said.

CNN reporting last month followed the journeys of several cargo ships identified by intelligence sources as being involved in the latest deliveries of sodium perchlorate from Chinese ports to Iran, using ship tracking data and the social media of their crew.

Several of the cargo ships and Chinese entities involved are under sanctions from the United States.

Some of those vessels appear to have gone back and forth several times between China and Iran since the end of April. The sources say their crew seem to be employed by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines and their regular social media posts provide a trail of their stops on the China to Iran journey.

Similar shipments had previously been reported, and entities in China, long a diplomatic and economic ally of Iran, are also known to use a network of vessels to filter US-sanctioned Iranian oil to the country.