NAF earns global commendation for civilian harm mitigation efforts
By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has received international commendation for its leadership in implementing the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response-Action Plan (CHMR-AP).
The commendation was made during a high-level conference on civilian protection held in Tunis, Tunisia.
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, on Sunday in Abuja.
Ejodame said the two-day conference, jointly organised by the United Nations (UN) and the Tunisian Defence Forces, brought together senior military officials, representatives of regional organisations, civil society, and international partners.
He said that the participants hailed NAF’s integration of civilian protection mechanisms into its operations, including leadership oversight, dedicated training, and structured data collection frameworks.
According to him, they also commended NAF’s efforts in mitigating target misidentification and confirmation bias, and its establishment of a strategic communications framework to manage civilian harm incidents.
“The conference featured over 100 participants including the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Mr Jean-Pierre Lacroix; Senegal’s Minister of Armed Forces, retired Gen. Birame Diop; and Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Defence, Mr Ernest Brogyi Genyi.
“The forum spotlighted NAF’s role in advancing civilian protection across Nigeria’s armed forces and reaffirmed the growing continental commitment to safeguarding civilian populations during military operations,” he said.
In his remarks, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, said protecting civilians remained a core constitutional obligation of the military.
The CAS was represented by the Director of Cooperation and Coordination at the NAF Civil-Military Relations Branch, AVM Edward Gabkwet.
Abubakar noted that the CHMR-AP was being implemented with urgency, in recognition of the need to balance military operations with humanitarian considerations.
According to him, NAF’s operational effectiveness must never come at the expense of civilian lives, saying they were committed to ensuring that its air operations reflect both precision and compassion.
Abubakar explained that the NAF had established a CHMR Board to provide strategic oversight, activated a Civilian Harm Assessment Cell to conduct investigations, and created a dedicated department at the Air Warfare Centre to lead capacity-building efforts.
He added that field engagements were ongoing to integrate civilian protection principles into operational planning and execution. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Yakubu Uba
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