Abuja: The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has unveiled civilian harm mitigation and response action plans to reduce collateral damage among civilians during air operations. The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, unveiled the document on Tuesday during the NAF Day 2025 Seminar marking its 61st anniversary in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the theme of the seminar is ‘Optimising Civil-Military Relations in a Joint Operational Environment for Enhanced Air Operations’. Abubakar highlighted that NAF has conducted more than 80,000 sorties in the past decade with only a few verified incidents of collateral damage. He emphasized that since 2015, the Nigerian Air Force has flown over 8,000 sorties annually, amounting to more than 80,000 sorties over the past decade. Despite this extensive operational record, the occurrence rate of collateral damage has been less than 0.005 percent, which is considered exceptional by global standards in asymmetric warfare.
Abubakar acknowledged that insurgents often embed themselves within civilian populations to avoid detection, creating challenging situations where collateral damage could occur despite efforts at precision and restraint. He stated that in the few instances where civilian casualties were reported, NAF conducted prompt investigations, accepted responsibility with deep regret, and implemented corrective actions to prevent future occurrences.
The CAS further stated that the service has invested in advanced technologies and robust protocols aimed at preventing civilian casualties. Measures include deploying enhanced real-time surveillance platforms and enforcing stringent mission-abort procedures upon detection of civilian presence. In addition, continuous training of personnel in International Humanitarian Law, the Law of Armed Conflict, and Rules of Engagement is part of the effort to address these challenges.
Abubakar announced institutional reforms, including upgrading the Directorate of Civil-Military Relations to Branch status, providing greater capacity and strategic focus on non-kinetic operations. He unveiled the Nigerian Air Force Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan, a landmark policy document designed to guide efforts in reducing the scale and impact of harm to civilians during air operations.
The air chief emphasized that national security is a shared responsibility of all patriotic citizens and institutions. He underscored the importance of synergy between military and civilian stakeholders to achieve collective aspirations for a secure and prosperous Nigeria. Abubakar reiterated NAF’s commitment to remaining apolitical and upholding democratic ideals, including the rule of law, accountability, and respect for fundamental human rights. The dedication to constitutional governance reflects their commitment to protecting the nation’s sovereignty and unity in accordance with their constitutional mandate.