NAF chief says civilian casualty allegations hurt military’s image

File Photo: The Chief of the Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, has warned that allegations of civilian casualties arising from military air operations have far-reaching consequences on mission legitimacy, public confidence and the reputation of the Nigerian Air Force. Aneke stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at the maiden Seminar on Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response for Strategic Level Officers. According to him, while the Nigerian Air Force remains committed to professional and responsible air operations, allegations of civilian harm have underscored the need for stronger institutional understanding and application of civilian protection principles. He said, “Allegations arising from some past air operations involving civilian casualties have brought to the fore the need for stronger institutional understanding and application of the principles of Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response, mostly in the areas of transparency, accountability and continuous operational evaluation. “These incidents, whether verified or alleged, have far-reaching ramifications on mission legitimacy, public confidence and relationship with our stakeholders, both domestic and foreign. More importantly, they affect the reputation and integrity of the Nigerian Air Force as a disciplined and professional force.” The Air Chief said operational success in contemporary warfare should not be measured solely by tactical achievements but also by the extent to which civilian lives and property are protected. “As we continue to confront complex and asymmetric security threats across the various theatres of operation, it has also become increasingly evident that operational success can no longer be measured solely by tactical achievements but by the extent to which civilian lives and properties are protected,” he said. Aneke noted that maintaining the trust and confidence of citizens remained critical to achieving lasting operational success, adding that the NAF had continued to take deliberate steps to institutionalise Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response mechanisms. “As an institution, we recognize that maintaining the trust and confidence of our citizens is essential to achieving lasting operational success. Accordingly, the Nigerian Air Force has continued to take deliberate steps toward institutionalizing Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response mechanisms, especially at the tactical and operational level,” he said. The Air Chief explained that the seminar was organised to improve the understanding of strategic-