The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has received international acclaim for its leadership in implementing the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan (CHMR-AP) during a high-level conference on civilian protection held in Tunis, Tunisia.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF.
The two-day conference, jointly organised by the United Nations (UN) and the Tunisian Defence Forces, brought together senior military officials, civil society representatives, regional organisations, and international partners.
Participants at the forum applauded NAF’s commitment to safeguarding civilians during military operations. Specific commendations were given for its leadership oversight, dedicated training programmes, and structured data collection systems aimed at preventing civilian casualties.
The Air Force’s efforts to reduce target misidentification, counter confirmation bias, and establish a strategic communications framework to address civilian harm incidents were also praised.
“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, Gen. Birame Diop (rtd); and Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Defence, Mr Ernest Brogyi Genyi,” the statement read.
The forum spotlighted NAF’s growing role in advancing civilian protection within the Nigerian Armed Forces, signalling a wider continental shift towards more responsible military operations in conflict zones.
In a goodwill message delivered on his behalf, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, reaffirmed NAF’s commitment to ensuring that operational success does not come at the expense of civilian lives.
“Protecting civilians remains a core constitutional obligation of the military,” he said.
Represented by AVM Edward Gabkwet, Director of Cooperation and Coordination at the NAF Civil-Military Relations Branch, Abubakar said the CHMR-AP was being implemented with urgency in recognition of the need to balance combat effectiveness with humanitarian principles.
He noted that NAF had established a Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Board to provide strategic oversight, activated a Civilian Harm Assessment Cell for independent investigations, and created a dedicated unit at the Air Warfare Centre to drive capacity building.
He added that NAF had also intensified field-level engagement to integrate civilian protection into all aspects of operational planning and execution.
