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NAF Deepens Civilian Protection Measures with Intensive Training for Officers
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified efforts to safeguard non-combatants in conflict zones by completing the first phase of a comprehensive Civilian Harm Mitigation (CHM) in Air Operations course for selected officers.
The five-day training, which concluded on August 15 at the Air Warfare and Doctrine Centre (AWDC), Abuja, brought together a multidisciplinary team of NAF personnel including pilots, drone operators, armament specialists, legal officers, and public relations experts. According to the NAF, the programme reflects its commitment to embedding civilian protection as a core element of operational planning and execution.
Directed by the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, and coordinated through the Service’s Civil-Military Relations Branch, the CHM programme is being delivered in three batches between August 11 and September 5 in partnership with Conflict, Security and Development Consult Limited.
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Participants in the first batch were trained on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in the Nigerian operational context, advanced targeting protocols, ordnance selection to minimise collateral damage, and procedures such as the No-Strike List (NSL) and Sensitive Target Approval and Review (STAR). Practical sessions also addressed positive target identification methods and engaging sensitive targets under operational pressure.
Air Marshal Abubakar said the training builds on the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan (CHMR-AP), inaugurated earlier this year, which has already led to a reduction in collateral damage incidents despite sustained air operations.
“Protecting civilians is not just a moral duty, it is a professional imperative,” he stated. “This training gives our officers the tools, judgement, and mindset to protect innocent lives even in the most complex operational environments.”
Representing the Chief of Civil-Military Relations at the closing ceremony, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet stressed that NAF’s focus on civilian protection provides both humanitarian and strategic benefits.
“When communities see that we take extraordinary measures to keep them safe, we build trust. That trust strengthens intelligence sharing and isolates hostile actors. Protecting civilians is not only the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do,” he said.
With two more batches of officers set to undergo training by early September, the NAF says it is reinforcing its message that modern air power is defined not only by precision strikes but also by the highest standards of humanitarian responsibility.
