The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, has reaffirmed that strict adherence to international humanitarian law (IHL) enhances, rather than hinders, operational effectiveness.
By Chimezie Godfrey
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, has reaffirmed that strict adherence to international humanitarian law (IHL) enhances, rather than hinders, operational effectiveness.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Civilian Harm Mitigation training on Friday, August 29, 2025, in Abuja, the CAS—represented by the Chief of Civil Military Relations, Air Vice Marshal Ibikunle Daramola—stressed that protecting civilians in conflict environments builds trust and cooperation from host communities, facilitates intelligence gathering, and contributes to long-term stability.
The Air Chief declared that adherence to IHL is never an obstacle to operational effectiveness. “Protecting civilian lives fosters trust and cooperation from local communities, facilitates intelligence gathering, and contributes to long-term stability,” he said. “It also strengthens Nigeria’s standing as a professional and responsible actor in the global security space.”
In line with these commitments, the NAF launched its Civilian Harm Mitigation Action Plan earlier this year. According to him, “a key component of this plan is the establishment of a dedicated Department of Civilian Harm Mitigation at the Air Warfare and Doctrine Centre.” He explained that the course has served as a preparatory step towards the department’s full establishment. “The department will function as the hub for NAF-wide training, analysis, and doctrine on civilian protection, thereby institutionalizing best practices for harm mitigation and response during air operations,” he added.
The CAS also charged participants of the training to embody professionalism, discipline, and accountability in the conduct of air operations. While technology, platforms, and tactics provide the means to fight, he noted that, “it is our values, respect for human dignity, and compliance with international law that truly define us as a force for good.”
He further stressed that the training reflects the NAF’s compliance with international obligations as a responsible global citizen. Nigeria, he said, remains committed to upholding conventions such as the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols, the Hague Regulations, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The Civilian Harm Mitigation training, which commenced on August 11, 2025, was conducted in three batches for 69 officers. It covered critical areas including international humanitarian law in the context of Nigerian air operations, precision selection of ordnance to minimize collateral damage, application of Rules of Engagement, positive target identification, targeting categorization, the No-Strike List (NSL), and the Sensitive Target Approval and Review (STAR) process.
The CAS commended the facilitators, organizers, and participants of the training, noting that its successful completion would significantly enhance the NAF’s ability to minimize civilian harm and promote accountability in military operations.
In his welcome address, the Commandant, Air Warfare and Doctrine Centre, Air Vice Marshal Michael Ekwueme, thanked the CAS for trusting the Centre’s competence to deliver the training. He urged the officers to put into practical use all they had learned upon their return to their theatres. He also remarked that the 69 officers underwent a rigorous curriculum that combined theoretical and practical modules on international humanitarian law and civilian harm mitigation, including advanced protocols for engaging sensitive targets under operational pressure.
The training, he explained, was specifically designed to strengthen the knowledge of NAF personnel on IHL, the Geneva Conventions, and other global treaties guiding the protection of civilians during armed conflict.