The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has garnered international praise for its proactive and exemplary approach to mitigating civilian harm during military operations, earning accolades at a high-level global conference on the protection of civilians.
The commendation came during the recently concluded Conference on Protection of Civilians, jointly organized by the United Nations (UN) and the Tunisian Defence Forces in Tunis, Tunisia. The event brought together over 100 participants, including senior military officers, officials from regional and subregional organizations, civil society actors, and top UN dignitaries.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the NAF was recognized for the development and implementation of its Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response-Action Plan (CHMR-AP) — a groundbreaking framework designed to institutionalize civilian protection across its operations.
The conference highlighted the NAF’s strides in embedding leadership oversight, robust training, data-driven decision-making, and strategic communications into its operational protocols. Delegates applauded the NAF’s efforts to address target misidentification risks and eliminate confirmation bias through improved tactical intelligence and accountability mechanisms.
Representing the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, the Director of Cooperation and Coordination at the NAF Civil-Military Relations Branch, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to civilian protection. “Protecting civilians is not only a moral imperative but a constitutional responsibility embedded in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution,” he stated.
In his remarks, Air Marshal Abubakar underscored the importance of aligning military effectiveness with humanitarian principles. “Our operational effectiveness must never come at the expense of civilian lives,” he said. “We are committed to ensuring that our air operations reflect both precision and compassion.”
The Chief of the Air Staff also revealed that the implementation of the CHMR-AP is well underway, with critical institutional structures already in place. These include the establishment of a CHMR Board to provide strategic oversight, the activation of a Civilian Harm Assessment Cell to investigate incidents, and the creation of a dedicated department at the Air Warfare Centre for training and capacity-building. Ongoing field engagements are also helping to integrate civilian considerations into all aspects of NAF’s operational planning.
High-level participants at the conference included UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Mr Jean-Pierre Lacroix; Senegal’s Minister of the Armed Forces, General Birame Diop (Rtd); and Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Defence, Mr Ernest Brogyi Genyi.
The conference marked a significant milestone in promoting continental cooperation on civilian protection and reinforced the Nigerian Air Force’s position as a regional leader in responsible and humane military engagement.
The conference not only spotlighted NAF’s progress but also advanced a broader, continental commitment to safeguarding civilians during military operations across Africa and beyond