BACKGROUND

The twelfth Chief of the air Staff (CAS) of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) was Air Marshal Nsikak-Abasi Essien Eduok. He was born on 11 July, 1947 at Mbak in Akwa Ibom State.  He enlisted into the NAF as a potential pilot on 1 August 1968. Air Marshal Eduok had his initial military training at the Nigerian Defence Academy after which he went for primary flying training in 1970. He was appointed as the CAS on 27 August, 1993, but the appointment was reversed a week later by the then military government.  He was redeployed as Air Officer Commanding Tactical Air Command (AOC TAC) and also appointed a member of the Provisional Ruling Council (PRC). On 20 March, 1995, he was appointed a member of the Federal Executive Council as Honourable Minister for Aviation. He was in this position till he was finally reappointment as the CAS on 30 March, 1996.