NAF Launches Forensic, Digital Crime Lab to Tackle Emerging Security Threats

NAF Launches Forensic, Digital Crime Lab to Tackle Emerging Security Threats

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has  established of a state-of-the-art forensic and digital crime laboratory at its Air Police Training Centre in Jos as part of efforts to tackle emerging security threats in the country.

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, disclosed this on Monday during the opening of the Air Provost Conference 2025 in Jos. He said the lab would enhance the capacity of Air Provost personnel in intelligence gathering, crime detection, cyber forensics, and digital security operations.

According to him, the initiative forms part of NAF’s broader commitment to leverage technology in combating borderless threats such as terrorism, banditry, cybercrime, and organised criminal networks.

“National security today requires a collective and technology-driven response,” the CAS said. “The establishment of the forensic and digital crime laboratory represents our deliberate step to institutionalise cutting-edge tools for crime detection and prevention within the Nigerian Air Force.”

Air Marshal Abubakar stressed that threats like terrorism and cybercrime “do not respect jurisdictional boundaries” and therefore demand joint intelligence sharing and inter-agency collaboration. He reaffirmed NAF’s readiness to strengthen bonds with other security agencies through coordinated operations and capacity building.

In addition to the forensic laboratory, the CAS unveiled a series of new measures to boost the effectiveness of the Air Provost, including the acquisition of new Military Working Dogs (MWDs) for K9 units, annual recruitment of 100 Air Police personnel for the next five years, upgrades to guard room facilities, and new provost squadrons across formations.

He noted that training would be intensified to prepare Air Police officers for evolving threats, with particular emphasis on cyber warfare and digital forensics to secure the Air Force’s critical infrastructure.

“Our personnel must be equipped not just with weapons and tactics, but with the knowledge and digital skills necessary to safeguard the Nigerian Air Force in a rapidly changing environment,” he said.

The Air Chief also commended President Bola Tinubu for his “unwavering support” to the Armed Forces, assuring that the NAF remains committed to democracy, rule of law, and respect for civil authority.

Earlier, the Chief of Administration, Air Vice Marshal Idi Sani, highlighted the pivotal role of the Air Provost in maintaining discipline, enforcing regulations, and safeguarding NAF infrastructure. He said this year’s conference theme, “Leveraging Technology, Collaboration, Capacity Building and Training for Enhanced AP Duties in a Dynamic Security Environment”, reflects the CAS’s philosophy of deliberate training and mission-oriented force development.

The Air Provost Marshal, AVM JA Usman, also lauded the CAS for his strategic guidance and support, noting that the conference has renewed the Directorate’s resolve to harness technology and foster collaboration in its duties.

Plateau State Governor, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, represented by Secretary to the State Government, Architect Samuel Jatau, praised the NAF and other security agencies for their role in sustaining peace in the state.

The three-day conference, which was last held seven years ago, features paper presentations, interactive sessions, and experience-sharing by senior officers and experts, including AVM KG Lar (rtd), Professor Etannibi Alemika, and AIG Emeka Nwonyi Polycarp, Commandant of the Police Staff College, Jos