As some media said, his name matches with his gentle face. Air Commodore Yusuf Anas is synonymous with his aggressive but effective and rapid response to issues. Little wonders why his recent retirement from service will leave a vacuum in the Nigerian Air Force. The recently retired Spokesperson of the Air Force has contributed his lot, especially in the fight against insurgency.
Air Commodore Anas was born on 16 October 1960 to the family of Alhaji Anas Mohammed and Hajia Zuwaira at Bindawa, Katsina State. After his early education at L.E.A Primary Schools Kayelwa in Katsina and L.E.A Unguwar Rimi, Kaduna, and proceeded to Sardauna Memorial College, Kaduna from 1974-1979. He joined the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of 27th Regular Course and was commissioned Pilot Officer on 4 July 1982.
Anas played prominent roles in the history of NAF especially since the return of the country to Democracy when he first came into the office but he left briefly only to return to the same desk because of his effectiveness and hardworking. And he was always ready to tell the landmark story of the Force to the world through the media, which he regards his constituency.
The senior officer has served in several units in various capacities. Between 1984 and 1988 he was Staff Officer 2 Information (SO2) at the Headquarters Training Command (HQTC) and also held the secondary appointment of Aide-De-Camp to the Air Offer Commanding (AOC). He also served at the de-established Military Airlift Command, Ibadan from 1988-1990. From 1994-1996 he was the Command Information Officer (CIO) at Headquarters Logistics Command, Lagos where he also doubled as the Military Assistant (MA) to the AOC. Subsequently, he moved to the Directorate of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI) Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, Lagos as Staff Officer 1 (SO1) from 1996-1997 and moved back to HQ TC Kaduna in 1997 as CIO.
A few of the successes recorded by the NAF with Anas as its Director of Public Relations and Information included but not limited to the following; aggressive effective and efficient training of aircrew and non-aircrew for the NAF, establishment of Air nautical Engineering Technical Support Services Limited to fast tract aircraft maintenance and assist Nigeria save scare foreign exchange, inter service cooperation and personnel motivation. Air Commodore Anas did not go unnoticed as he was awarded Best Man of the Year by the American Biographical Institute for Outstanding Pursuits and Achievements in Public Relations, in 2012.
His surgeon through the academic terrain was a case of gradually but surely. He also rose steadily within the ranks of the Air force. Air Cdre Anas has attended several military and civil courses. Some of the military courses include junior and senior division courses at the AFCSC, Jaji, Kaduna. Some of the civil courses he attended include Diploma in Journalism from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos in 1984 and Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science from the University of Jos in 1994. He also obtained a Diploma in Public Relations from the Senior International Public Relations Business School, Oxford University London in year 2000. He also obtained a Master of Science Degree in International Relations and Strategic Studies (IRSS) from the Benue State University in 2003 and a Master of Science Degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan in 2010. He is a fellow of the National Defence College, Abuja. He also holds a Certificate and award from the United States Africa Centre for Strategic Studies on Energy and Security in Africa as well as a certificate of Excellence from United States Department of Defence.
Between 1999-2002 he was Director, Directorate of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters Nigerian Air Force. Thereafter, from 2002-2004, he was at the Headquarters, Tactical Air Command as Command Public Relations Officer (CPRO). Air Cdre Anas also served at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja first as Assistant Director, Administration and then as Deputy Director Defence Information in 2005 and 2007 respectively. He was the Director of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters Nigerian Air Force from 2010 – 2014. Pertinent to say that, Air Commodore Anas is an intellectual. One of his academic works is a BSc research project on “Peace Keeping Operations in Africa: A case study of ECOMOG Operations in Liberia” in 1994 and in 2003 also researched on the topic “Conflicts in West Africa: Implications for ECOWAS Development” for his Master Degree dissertation.
The senior officer belongs to several national and international professional bodies, among which are Member, Nigerian Institute of Management (MNIM), Member Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (MNIPR), Member Federation of African Public Relations Association (MIPRA) and Member International Public Relations Association (AFPRA). He is decorated with Forces Services Star, Meritorious Service Star and Defence Service Star. He loves reading and traveling. He is happily married to Mrs Sadiya Aminu Zayyad and has three children.
