Air Vice Marshal AI Hanidu

Air Vice Marshal Ayodele Ibrahim Hanidu was born on 23 November 1973. He hails from Lagos Island Local Government Area, in Lagos State. He enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) as a member of 43 Regular Combatant Course on 16 August 1991 and was commissioned as a pilot officer into the NAF on 21 September 1996.

AVM Hanidu is a seasoned communications engineer in the NAF. He has attended several military and civil professional courses during his illustrious career, notable amongst which are Initial Communication Officers’ Course at 320 Technical Training Group (now Air Force Institute of Technology); Junior Command and Senior Staff Course at Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) Jaji; Visual Basic and C♯ (C sharp) Programming at University of Lagos; Conflict Prevention Course at Kofi Anan International Peacekeeping Centre, Accra, Ghana; Higher Defence Management and Strategic Course at National Defence College, Abuja. Other courses attended also include Defence Headquarters Military Radiocommunication and Spectrum Management Workshop at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja; and Cybersecurity Studies Programme at the George C Marshall European Center for Security Studies, Garmisch – Paterkinchen, Germany.

AVM Hanidu has held numerous appointments, notable amongst which are Officer in Charge Communications Squadron (OC Comms Sqn), Electronics Maintenance Centre (now 641 Communications Group) Ikej; OC Comms Sqn, NAF Station Jos; Military Assistant to Chief of Defence Communications, Defence Headquarters; Directing Staff Department of Air Warfare, AFCSC; Depot; Communications Officer, 105 Communications Depot (now 041 Communications Depot) and Group Communications Officer, 403 Communications Group. The senior officer also served as Chief Instructor, Junior Course, Department of Air Warfare, AFCSC; Commander, 541 Communications Group; Director, Directorate of Information Communications Technology, Nigerian Defence Academy; Commander 041 Communications and Information Systems Depot, Nigerian Air Force, Shasha Lagos; and Director Information Technology, Headquarters Nigerian Air Force.

AVM AI Hanidu is decorated with the Forces Service Star (FSS), Meritorious Service Star (MSS) and Distinguished Service Star (DSS) medals along with the Field Command Medal (FCM). He was awarded the ‘psc(+)’ post nominals for service as a Directing Staff at the AFCSC and is a certified engineer with the Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria along with being a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers. He has a degree in Project Management from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) as well as being a Fellow of the National Defence College of Nigeria (fdc). The snr offr has a Master of Philosophy Degree in Security and Strategic Studies at the Postgraduate School, NDA and a professional Master’s degree in Cybersecurity from the same institution. He is a doctoral candidate for the Security and Strategic Studies programme at the same institution.

AVM Hanidu is happily married, and the union is blessed with 4 children. The senior officer enjoys watching and playing golf and squash along with being a film enthusiast. He is also an avid reader and keen follower of current affairs.