By Joy Odor, Abuja
In a bold and unprecedented shift, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified its drive to make Civilian Harm Mitigation (CHM) a core component of all combat operations, signaling a new era of accountability, empathy, and precision in military strategy.
Under the visionary leadership of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, the NAF is embedding CHM principles into mission planning and execution across all operational theatres from the insurgency frontlines in the Northeast to the oil-rich creeks of the Niger Delta.
The transformative move, unveiled during a series of Civil-Military Relations (CMR) engagements in Maiduguri, Enugu, and Bayelsa, aims to ensure that every NAF mission not only achieves tactical success but also safeguards innocent lives and strengthens community trust.
Speaking at the sessions, the Chief of Civil-Military Relations (CCMR), Air Vice Marshal Ibikunle Daramola, represented by Air Commodore Elisha Bindul declared that the new NAF Civil-Military Relations Policy now recognizes Civilian Harm Mitigation and Gender Mainstreaming as foundational pillars of air operations.
“This marks a deliberate evolution toward smarter airpower, one that strikes with precision, acts with restraint, and upholds human dignity,” Daramola emphasized.
He charged personnel to maintain professionalism, empathy, and lawful engagement, stressing that protecting civilians and respecting human rights are not optional values but essential to mission success and the legitimacy of military power.
During the interactive sessions, NAF personnel shared field experiences and identified challenges in community engagement, inter-agency coordination, and compliance with Rules of Engagement (ROE).
The CCMR reiterated NAF’s zero-tolerance stance on sexual exploitation and abuse, reminding officers that discipline and compassion are the hallmarks of credible military service.
To deepen community trust, the Air Force highlighted past humanitarian outreach programmes that have benefited over 2,000 civilians nationwide, efforts widely praised by international partners for enhancing peacebuilding and cooperation.
Air Commodore Bindul also revealed that Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) are being rolled out in select communities as part of broader Civil-Military Cooperation initiatives designed to rebuild confidence and improve local livelihoods.
Unit CMR Desk Officers were directed to sustain training and awareness campaigns on CHM, ensuring that every officer from pilot to ground troop internalizes the principles of humane warfare.
At the Maiduguri engagement, the Air Component Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Air Commodore Umar Idris, reaffirmed that effective community relations remain a “strategic advantage” in counter-insurgency operations.
“Strength is not only in firepower,” he said, “but in how we protect those we serve. Humane conduct sustains both tactical and moral superiority.”
The NAF’s ongoing reforms redefine the meaning of modern airpower shifting the narrative from destruction to protection.
Through these initiatives, the Service underscores that precision strikes must also deliver moral precision, ensuring every operation strengthens peace, preserves civilian life, and advances Nigeria’s stability and security.
