NAF unveils civilian harm mitigation, response plan
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has unveiled civilian harm mitigation and response action to reduce collateral damage during air operations.
The Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, unveiled the document during the NAF 61st Anniversary Day Seminar in Abuja, on Tuesday.
The seminar was themed: “Optimizing Civil-Military Relations in a Joint Operational Environment for Enhanced Air Operations.”
According to the NAF boss, the service had conducted more than 80,000 sorties in the past decade with only few verified incidences of collateral damage.
He said: “Since 2015, the Nigerian Air Force has flown over 8,000 sorties annually amounting to more than 80,000 sorties over the past decade. Yet, within this extensive operational record, only a few verified incidents of collateral damage have been recorded. This represents an occurrence rate of less than 0.005 per cent —an exceptional record by global standards, particularly within the complexities of asymmetric warfare,.
“It is a powerful reflection of our professionalism, precision, and steadfast commitment to protecting civilian lives in even the most challenging operational environments.
“While we take pride in this impressive record, we are by no means complacent. We are very much aware that insurgents often deliberately embed themselves within civilian populations to evade detection, thereby creating unfortunate situations where collateral damage could occur despite our best efforts at precision and restraint.”
Air Marshal Abubakar noted that in the few instances where civilian casualties were reported, the “NAF promptly conducted investigations, accepted responsibility with deep regret, and taken necessary corrective actions to prevent future occurrences.”
According to him, the service has proactively invested in advanced technologies and robust protocols aimed at preventing civilian casualties.
He emphasised that these efforts include the deployment of enhanced real-time surveillance platforms, the enforcement of stringent mission-abort procedures upon detection of civilian presence, and the continuous training of personnel in International Humanitarian Law and the Law of Armed Conflict as well as Rules of Engagement.
He said the service had instituted robust accountability mechanisms and recently upgraded our Directorate of Civil-Military Relations to Branch status.
“This institutional reform provides greater capacity and strategic focus on non-kinetic operations, ensuring that our engagements are anchored in transparency, compassion, and national interest,” the CAS said.
“I am also glad to announce that in the course of today’s event, we will be unveiling a landmark policy document titled, the Nigerian Air Force Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan. The document is the first of its kind in the Armed Forces of Nigeria and is designed to guide our efforts in reducing the scale and impact of harm to civilians during air operations.”
Air Marshal Abubakar said national security is a shared responsibility of all patriotic citizens and institutions, hence, the synergy between military and civilian stakeholders remains central to achieving our collective aspirations for a secure and prosperous Nigeria.
“The NAF has remained firmly apolitical and deeply committed to upholding democratic ideals, including the rule of law, accountability, and respect for fundamental human rights,” he said.
“This unwavering allegiance to constitutional governance reflects our enduring dedication to protecting the sovereignty and unity of our nation in accordance with our constitutional mandate.”
