AVM Adebayo takes charge as AOC ground training command
By Brown Chimezie,
As part of ongoing leadership realignments to further strengthen operational effectiveness in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Adebayo Gabriel Kehinde has assumed duty as the 10th Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Ground Training Command (GTC), succeeding AVM Ahmed Abdullahi Shinkafi.
The transition is aimed at advancing the Chief of the Air Staff’s vision of a professional, highly motivated, and mission-ready Air Force capable of responding decisively to evolving security challenges.
The change of command was formally effected during a handing and taking over ceremony held on Tuesday, 6 January 2026, at the Command Headquarters in Enugu.
The ceremony featured the exchange of handover notes and the symbolic transfer of command authority, witnessed by senior officers, airmen, airwomen, and civilian personnel of the Command. The event highlighted the critical role of ground training as the foundation of combat readiness, force protection, and operational effectiveness, providing the skills and discipline required to safely generate, sustain, and project airpower.
In his first address as AOC, AVM Kehinde expressed appreciation to the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke for the confidence placed in him and acknowledged the achievements recorded under his predecessor’s leadership.
He pledged to prioritise doctrinal refinement, capacity development, and enhanced realism in ground training to ensure NAF personnel are fully prepared to support air operations, protect critical assets, and counter criminal elements across all theatres.
In his valedictory remarks, AVM Shinkafi commended the dedication and professionalism of officers, airmen, airwomen, and civilian staff of the Command, expressing confidence that Ground Training Command would continue to play a decisive role in sustaining a combat-ready force committed to safeguarding lives, property, and lasting peace for Nigerians.
