The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding civilians in conflict zones by completing a five-day Civilian Harm Mitigation (CHM) in Air Operations course for the first batch of specially selected officers.
The training, hosted by the Air Warfare and Doctrine Centre (AWDC) in Abuja, brought together pilots, drone operators, armament specialists, legal officers, public relations experts, and others, underscoring the Service’s multi-disciplinary approach to protecting civilians during air operations.
Directed by the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, and coordinated through the Civil-Military Relations Branch, the programme reflects NAF’s resolve to embed civilian protection as a core pillar of its operational doctrine.
The CHM course, to be delivered in three batches between August 11 and September 5, 2025, in partnership with Conflict, Security and Development Consult Limited, covered International Humanitarian Law (IHL), precision targeting, rules of engagement, positive target identification, the No-Strike List, and the Sensitive Target Approval and Review (STAR) process.
Air Marshal Abubakar described the initiative as an extension of NAF’s Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan (CHMR-AP), launched earlier this year.
“From the very beginning of my tenure, I made it clear that protecting civilians is not just a moral duty, it is a professional imperative,” Abubakar said.
He added: “The CHMR-AP was our blueprint to institutionalise this principle, ensuring that every commander, crew, and analyst is trained to apply the highest standards of humanitarian consideration in mission planning and execution.”
The CAS noted that the plan has already produced results, with a marked reduction in collateral damage incidents despite the sustained tempo of air operations.
“We have seen the difference that deliberate planning, real-time intelligence, and strict targeting protocols can make. This training takes those lessons further, giving our officers the tools, judgement, and mindset to protect innocent lives even in the most complex operational environments,” he stated.
Representing the Chief of Civil-Military Relations at the closing ceremony, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet stressed that NAF’s approach goes beyond compliance with international law.
“When communities see that we take extraordinary measures to keep them safe, we build trust. That trust is a force multiplier; it strengthens intelligence sharing and isolates hostile actors. Protecting civilians is not only the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do,” Gabkwet said.
With the remaining two batches set to complete the course by September, the NAF is signalling that civilian protection will remain central to its operations across all theatres.
PIAK