10 Kilometres Walk: "Fitness Will Now Be Key to Promotion," NAF Chief Speaks
- Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar declared that fitness assessments became mandatory for career growth in the Nigerian Air Force to boost health and readiness
- The NAF upgraded sports facilities across its formations and introduced a Sports Control Board to promote teamwork and civil-military relations
- NAF teams won major national tournaments as the Service renewed focus on fitness morale and operational excellence among personnel
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has declared that physical fitness assessments will now be a mandatory criterion for career progression in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
Abubakar stated this on Saturday in Abuja during the 2025 edition of the NAF 10-kilometre Walk/Jog Exercise, an event designed to promote health, morale, and operational readiness among personnel.
Source: Original
The exercise, which held along the Abuja–Nyanya–Keffi expressway, followed Friday’s announcement of a temporary road closure between Karu Bridge and Mogadishu Cantonment Bridge to facilitate safe participation.
Fitness as a measure of readiness
Addressing participants after the exercise, Air Marshal Abubakar emphasised that fitness was not merely a formality but an essential part of military discipline and readiness.
“It is worth emphasising that fitness assessments are mandatory for career progression in the NAF,” Abubakar said.
He added:
“Let us take physical fitness seriously, not just as a requirement for promotion, but as a personal responsibility for our health and preparedness.”
He explained that the 10km Walk/Jog Exercise was part of the Service’s annual fitness programme designed to ensure airmen and airwomen remain physically and mentally equipped for the rigours of their duties.
NAF upgrades sporting facilities
The Air Chief revealed that the Service was currently upgrading sporting facilities across all NAF formations as part of the resolutions reached at the maiden Directorate of Sports and Physical Education Workshop.
He also disclosed plans to establish a Sports Control Board to coordinate and drive sporting development within NAF units.
“Commanders must continue to encourage participation in local sporting activities. Such engagements not only build teamwork and fitness but also strengthen civil-military relations and enhance the public image of the Nigerian Air Force,” he stated.
NAF teams hailed for recent victories
Air Marshal Abubakar commended NAF’s Handball Team for winning the Nigeria Division One League and securing promotion to the Premier League, as well as the Football Team for emerging champions at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Football Tournament.
He expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his continuous support to the Service, reaffirming NAF’s commitment to excellence, teamwork, and national defence.
NSC commends NAF’s leadership on sports
Also speaking, the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, lauded the Nigerian Air Force for institutionalising fitness as a core part of its operational culture.
“Under the leadership of the CAS, we have seen remarkable progressfrom upgrading sports facilities to reviving the Inter-Command Sports Competition after nine years,” Dikko said.
Dikko praised the personnel for their enthusiasm and endurance during the exercise, describing their performance as a reflection of the Service’s core values: “Willing, Able and Ready.”
10-kilometre exercise promotes unity and endurance
Legit.ng reports that the fitness exercise featured a 10-kilometre jog for personnel below 40 years and a 10-kilometre walk for those above 40.
Participants who finished in the top three positions in both male and female categories received awards for their performances.
Dikko added that the NAF’s focus on sports and wellness sets an example for other institutions, saying:
“Every step you take for fitness strengthens not just your body but your Service and your country.”
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Source: Legit.ng
