By Bavoriat Clara
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has successfully completed the training of the first batch of officers in a specialised five-day Civilian Harm Mitigation (CHM) in Air Operations Course designed to strengthen civilian protection during military operations.
The course, hosted at the Air Warfare and Doctrine Centre (AWDC), Abuja, ended on 15 August 2025 and involved about 30 officers, including pilots, unmanned aerial vehicle operators, armament specialists, legal officers, and public relations experts.
Directed by the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, and coordinated through the Civil-Military Relations Branch, the training is scheduled to run in three batches between 11 August and 5 September 2025.
It is being delivered in partnership with Conflict, Security and Development Consult Limited.The curriculum covered International Humanitarian Law (IHL), rules of engagement, precision targeting to reduce collateral damage, positive target identification, targeting categorisation, the no-strike list (NSL), and the Sensitive Target Approval and Review (STAR) process.
Practical exercises also focused on advanced procedures for engaging sensitive targets under operational pressure.
Speaking at the closing of the first batch, Air Marshal Abubakar described the training as a natural extension of the NAF Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan (CHMR-AP), launched earlier this year.
He said the plan had already contributed to a marked reduction in collateral damage despite the intensity of air operations.
> “From the very beginning of my tenure, I made it clear that protecting civilians is not just a moral duty, it is a professional imperative,” he said. “This training equips our officers with the tools, judgment, and mindset to protect innocent lives even in the most complex operational environments.”
Representing the Chief of Civil-Military Relations, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet stressed that NAF’s approach to civilian protection was not only about compliance with international law but also about gaining strategic advantage.
> “When communities see that we take extraordinary measures to keep them safe, we build trust. That trust strengthens intelligence sharing and isolates hostile actors. Protecting civilians is not only the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do,” he stated.
With two more batches of officers expected to complete the programme before September, the NAF has reiterated that civilian protection will remain central to its operational doctrine in all theatres of operation.
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