The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified efforts to integrate Civilian Harm Mitigation (CHM) principles into its mission planning and operations across all theatres.
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, on Wednesday in Abuja.
Ejodame said the effort was part of NAF’s commitment to delivering smarter and more humane airpower.
He said the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, was driving the initiative under his vision to enhance operational precision, empathy in the battlespace, and accountability in air operations.
According to him, NAF has held Civil-Military Relations (CMR) engagements with personnel in Maiduguri, Enugu and Bayelsa to deepen understanding of civilian protection and gender mainstreaming in operations.
Speaking during the engagements, the Chief of Civil-Military Relations (CCMR), AVM Ibikunle Daramola, said the reviewed CMR policy had positioned CHM and Gender Mainstreaming as vital pillars of NAF operations.
Daramola, represented by Air Commodore Elisha Bindul, said the approach reflected a deliberate shift towards “smarter airpower”, one that balances precision with restraint and respect for human life.
He stressed that the air force’s duty goes beyond defending Nigeria’s airspace, saying it also entails building trust and promoting peace in host communities.
He urged personnel to uphold professionalism and compassion in all engagements with civilians, noting that lawful conduct and empathy were crucial to mission success and stability in conflict areas.
According to him, the engagements allowed personnel to share experiences, address field challenges and exchange best practices on community engagement, inter-agency coordination, conflict resolution and adherence to Rules of Engagement (ROE).
Daramola reminded the participants of the NAF’s zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as its commitment to humanitarian programmes that have benefited more than 2,000 civilians nationwide.
He added that plans were underway to implement new Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) in selected communities under the Service’s Civil-Military Cooperation initiatives.
In his remarks in Maiduguri, the Air Component Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, Air Commodore Umar Idris, said effective community relations remained a strategic advantage in counter-insurgency operations.
He said coordinated, lawful and humane conduct would continue to sustain NAF’s tactical and moral superiority in the field.
Through such initiatives, the Nigerian Air Force continues to demonstrate that precision airpower is not only about accuracy, but also about moral responsibility and protection of civilian lives.
