President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces has named Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Hassan Bala Abubakar as the 22nd Chief of the Air Staff. AVM Hassan Abubakar, who was born on September 11th, 1970, is a native of Kano State’s Shanono Local Government Area. He joined the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) as a student of Regular Course 39 of the Nigerian Defense Academy, and on September 19, 1992, he received his commission as a pilot officer.
The Ab-initio and Basic Flying Training Courses at the former 301 Flying Training School in Kaduna, the Basic and Advance Airborne Courses at the Nigerian Army Infantry Centre and School in Jaji, and the Company Amphibious Operations Course at the Nigerian Army Infantry Centre and School in Calabar are among the courses that AVM Abubakar has taken. The Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Jaji, Saudi Arabia, offers junior and senior command and staff courses, and the Nasser Higher Military Academy in Cairo, Egypt, offers a national defense course.
Previous positions held by the CAS include Officer Commanding ‘B’ Squadron (Do 228), 81 Air Maritime Group NAF Benin; Team Leader MILOB Team Site 615 Mahagi (Ituri Brigade), United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC); and Aviation Planning Officer, MONUC Air Operations Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. He held various positions at the 88 Military Airlift Group, Ikeja, including Operations Officer Operational Conversion Unit, Operations Officer, Commanding Officer 21 Wing, and Group Safety Officer. He was previously the Commanding Officer Base Services Wing of the 81 Air Maritime Group in Benin.
He was also the Unit Commander after serving as Fleet Operation Officer 011Presidential Air Fleet. His other posts include Director of Policy and Director of Operations at the Headquarters Nigerian Air Force in Abuja, Chief of Staff at Mobility Command in Yenagoa, Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command in Ikeja, and Chief of Staff at Logistics Command in Yenagoa. He served as the Chief of Standards and Evaluations at the Headquarters Nigerian Air Force in Abuja before being named the 22nd CAS.
Distinguished Service Star (DSS), Passed Staff Course (psc), and Fellow Defence College (fdc) are only a few of the honors and decorations that AVM Abubakar has received. He belongs to the National Institute of Management, the Nigerian Institute of Safety Professional, and the Chartered Institute of Public Management. The Chief has master’s degrees in international affairs and diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and a bachelor’s degree in biological science from NDA.
