Nigerian air force gets first-ever female air warrant officer

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has approved the promotion of Master Warrant Officer (MWO), Grace Garba to the exalted rank of Air Warrant Officer (AWO).

NAF director of public relations and information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, announced this in a statement on Tuesday, October 1, in Abuja.

He said with the promotion, MWO Garba becomes the first female Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (SNCO) to be promoted to the highest rank in the Non-Commissioned Officers’ cadre in the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

The SNCO, who has put in not less than 33 years of outstandingly meritorious service to the Nation, was found worthy to be promoted to the rank of AWO for her exemplary leadership qualities, hard work as well as her contributions to the Service over the years.

Brief Bio

Born on Feb. 14, 1966, in Garkida, Gombi local government area of Adamawa state, MWO Garba joined the NAF in 1986 as a member of the Basic Military Training Course (BMTC) 10.

She holds a Certificate in Nursing from School of Nursing, Maiduguri, Certificate in Midwifery from Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria Kaduna State.

The officer holds a Certificate in Public Health Nursing from School of Health Technology, Kaduna and Advanced Diploma in Public Administration at the Federal University of Technology, Yola.

She is currently the Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) of the NAF School of Medical Sciences and Aviation Medicine (NAFSMSAM), Kaduna.

She will be decorated with the new rank on Oct. 15.