11th March, 2021
Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet has assumed duty as the 17th Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
Gabkwe took over from AVM Ibikunle Daramola, who was affected by the deployments carried out by NAF.
A statement issued by Wing Cdr. Bassey Okon, on Thursday in Abuja, on behalf of the Director of Public Relations and Information, stated that Daramola was at the helm of affairs for about two years and seven months.
Born in Kaduna, Gabkwet hails from Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau. He attended St. Joseph’s College, Vom, Plateau and later proceeded to the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of the 42nd Regular Course.
Gabkwet was commissioned into the NAF as a Pilot Officer on Aug. 16, 1996. He is an alumnus of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Ogba, Lagos State, where he obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Relations in 2008.
He attended several courses some of which include: International Military Public Relations Course in Sweden, Junior and Senior Command and Staff Courses at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State.
The officer also attended Strategic Public Relations and Crisis Management Courses at Pinnacle PR, London.
Additionally, he attended a Speech Writing Course organised by Ragan Communications at U.S. University, Washington DC.
Gabkwet is also an alumnus of the National Defence University, Champing, China, Air Force War College, Nigeria and the National Defence College, Nigeria.
The senior officer has held several appointments in the course of his military career.
He was the Group Public Relations Officer at Air Weapon School (Now 407Air Combat Training Group), Kainji, Niger.
Gabkwet had also at various times served as the Command Public Relations Officer at Tactical Air Command Makurdi, Training Command, (Now Air Training Command), Kaduna, as well as, Logistics Command, Lagos.
The new spokesman was also a United Nations Military Observer at the Democratic Republic of Congo, between 2004 and 2005, where he also acted as the Assistant Military Spokesman.
He also served as the first press officer to the Chief of Air Staff between 2010 and 2012.
Other appointments held by the senior officer include the Deputy Defence Attaché (Air), Embassy of Nigeria, Beijing China, between 2013 and 2016 and Command Training Officer at the Ground Training Command, Enugu in 2018.
Until his appointment, he was a member of Directing Staff and Director of Coordination at NAF War College, Makurdi.
Gabkwet is an Associate Member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and a Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management.
He is also decorated with the Distinguished Service Star, Fellow Defence College, Fellow National Defence University, Fellow Air War College (+) and the UN Medal among others.
He is married to Mrs Patricia Gabkwet and the union is blessed with three children.