Hassan Abubakar: The Unseen Hand

Nigeria’s security challenges have seen all hands come together, and the nation is currently enjoying the gains of collective efforts. Yet, the role being played by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan BalaAbubakar, is vast and indeterminable. Shola Oyeyipo writes.

He’s a model and modest military officer. His voice you could always hear but hands are seemingly invisible. That is the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan BalaAbubakar, who has continued to work miracles in the already yielding fight against insecurity in Nigeria. This, he does, without struggling for attention.

The last 16 years has no doubt tested the might of Nigeria’s armed forces to their very limit. The rise and spread of the Boko Haram sect, after its leader, Mohammed Yusuf, was summarily executed by the police in 2009, has since kept the military on its toes.

But in spite of losing many of its men to the hitherto tough battle, the armed forces have remained resolute, not only to completely exterminate this anti-social criminal group, which had over time birthed several others of its kind, but to continue to protect Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

While the respective wings of the armed forces have kept faith with their oaths of service and continued to give their best in the battle against insecurity, the role of the Airforce in the successes so far recorded against criminals of all shades, remains incalculable.

Although the Airforce has been led by different leadership since the menace began to manifest some 16 years ago, the ability of the current Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar, to not only leverage the efforts of his predecessors but also read through their shortfalls and design better fighting strategy, is why he earned the rank in the first place.

Born September 11, 1970, Abubakar, who was appointed by President Bola Tinubu on June 19, 2023, succeeded Air Marshal IsiakaOladayoAmao, to continue the onslaught against the criminals across Nigeria. His choice was not unconnected to the need to inject fresh and smarter blood into the nation’s security architecture with a view to decimating the non-state actors.

Tough-talking and always walking his talk, Abubakar’s constant air support to the fight against the criminals of all categories had seen their many hideouts routed and a majority of the insurgents now on the run, with several of their leaders and commanders neutralised. It is also not surprising that some of the criminals – indeed many of them – had surrendered to the troops after witnessing and experiencing higher firepower.

Recently reaffirming the dedication of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to national security, Abubakar vowed that the NAF would relentlessly hunt down and eliminate all threats to the country’s peace. He was not joking.

Speaking at the NAF Administration and Personnel Management Seminar in Abuja, sometime in January, Abubakar declared, that the NAF’s effective employment of airpower would extend the long arm of the law, bringing justice to criminals hiding in ungoverned spaces.

He emphasised that the ongoing air operations against criminal elements demonstrated the Air Force’s resolve to protect innocent lives and restore peace across the nation.

“We will find, fix, and strike all those who take arms against the State, and we will not relent until Nigeria is safe for all,” he said exuding the sort of confidence that complements his rank and office.

But he wasn’t just talking. The best part has been his ability to complement his words with action. It was, therefore, not surprising when he recently visited the South-east and South-south geo-political zones, as part of the grand plan to meet national security objectives.

A statement by the Deputy Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, Group Captain Kabiru Ali, stated that his visit was to evaluate operational readiness and infrastructure development of the units with a view to enhancing their efficiency and effectiveness.

“In furtherance of the drive to actualise his command philosophy of transforming the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), for greater agility and resilience to effectively project air power in meeting all national security imperatives, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal HasanAbubakar, on Saturday, 5 October, 2024, conducted an operational tour of NAF units in Enugu and Port Harcourt.

“The purpose of the visit was to evaluate operational readiness and infrastructure development of the units with a view to enhancing their efficiency and effectiveness,” he said, emphasising the importance of maintaining high levels of preparedness to meet current and emerging security challenges.

Thus, when he expressed dissatisfaction with the heavy reliance on foreign countries for aircraft and spare parts, not a few agreed that he understood what he was saying and meant.

Abubakar, who recalled his time as the Commander of the 101 Presidential Air Fleet, stated that there were significant constraints associated with the high dependency on imported aircraft spares and equipment to sustain flight operations.

“As Commander of the 101 Presidential Air Fleet,” he explained, “I experienced first-hand the serious constraints that accompany our high dependency on the importation of aircraft spares and equipment to sustain flight operations.

“Years later, as the Chief of Standards and Evaluation, with the Nigerian Air Force Research and Development activities under my purview, I gained a clearer understanding of the critical role that research and development play in mitigating our sustainment and operational challenges as a service,” he added.

He, however, maintained that the Nigerian Air Force was rapidly building the necessary capacity to sustain the operation and maintenance of 50 brand-new aircraft expected to be added to its fleet by end of 2026.

His words: “It is only by developing indigenous capacity for aircraft manufacturing and maintenance spares production through research and development that we can reduce our dependence on foreign military products.

“I am also pleased to mention that the operationalisation of the TSAIGUMI Unmanned Aerial Vehicle has been revived in partnership with UAVision of Portugal. Currently, the project has reached an advanced stage.

“Additionally, it is worth noting that the NAF is leveraging a strategic partnership with Messrs Zenith Prom of Serbia on technology transfer for 57mm rocket production.

“We are also building our institutional capacity for research and development, as evidenced by the recent upgrade of the Air Force Research and Development Centre into an Institute.”

A decent family man by all standards, Abubakar, who is married to Rakiya and blessed with children, was born in Shanono  Local Government Area of Kano State. He attended the Nigerian Military School, Zaria as a member of NMS 82 class.

A qualified Aeromechanical Engineer, having obtained a Diploma in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering in 2006 from the Nigerian Airforce  Technical Training Group (nowAirforce Institute of Technology, Kaduna), he also holds a diploma in Aviation Safety Management from the Embry-Riddle University of Aeronautics, Daytona Beach, Florida, in 2022.

With another Diploma in National Security and Country Resilience from the Galilee Institute, Nahalal, Israel, Abubakar holds a master’s degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. And for his strategic military training, he attended the Nasser Higher Military Academy in Cairo, Egypt.

Before his appointment as the 22nd Chief of Air Staff, Abubakar had a celebrated career within the Nigerian Airforce, having begun his military career as a member of NMS 82, from where he proceeded to the Nigerian Defence Academy. He was enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force as a member of the 39 Regular Course and commissioned as a Pilot Officer in September 1992.

Abubakar received his Basic Flying Training Courses at the then 301 Flying Training School, Kaduna, from June 1997 to January 2000. During his flying career, he accumulated over 4,500 flying hours on various aircraft, including the Air Beetle, Dornier -228, C-130 Hercules, and the Boeing 737.

The Air Chief had also undergone specialised training, including the Basic and Advanced Airborne Courses and the Amphibious Operations Course in March 1997 at the Nigerian Army Infantry Centre and Schools in Jaji, Kaduna State and Calabar in Cross River State.

Throughout his career, he held various roles, including serving at the 88 Military Airlift Group, Ikeja, where he held positions such as Operations Officer of the Operational Conversion Unit, Commanding Officer of 21 Wing, and Group Safety Officer, overseeing the effective support of air and land forces during stabilisation operations across various theaters of operation.

He further served in the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) in 2006 as a Team Leader in Mahagi, Ituri Brigade, and as Aviation Planning Officer at the Air Operations Base in Kinshasa.

Abubakar was the Commander of the prestigious 011 Presidential Air Fleet from December 2016 to January 2020 and as the Chief of Staff of Mobility Command, Yenegoa, Bayelsa State, in addition to holding roles such as Director of Policy and Director of Operations at the Headquarters of Nigerian Air Force, Abuja.

Clearly, his extensive experience in these positions provided him with better understanding and prepared him for strategic leadership as the Chief of Air Staff.