It is popularly said that there is no room for mistake in the sky, and the sky is an area where the Nigerian Air Force operates to complement the land and sea forces in the fight to protect the nation’s territorial integrity.
Since the war against insurgency began in 2009, the Nigerian Air Force has been at the forefront of providing air support to ground troops in the counter-insurgency campaign, this is not without collateral damages as many strikes have been alleged to have struck civilians or friendly forces.
In July 2017, the NAF aircraft targeting terrorists in Borno State was accused of drop bombs on an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp at Rann where scores were killed.
Again in April 2021, there were allegations of military aircraft hitting military trucks at Mainok in Borno State killing dozens of soldiers.
In April 2022, Again, community leaders in Niger State accused the Nigerian Air force of killing six children in airstrikes in Safana LGA. The same allegations were raised in Katsina where the anti-banditry campaign is being undertaken with aircraft as the main weapon.
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao recently constituted a committee of officers to compile all allegations of accidental air strikes on civilians as well as review the circumstances leading to such strikes.
Air Marshal Amao stated this at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Air Operations Seminar with the theme “Harnessing Nigerian Air Force Combat Experience in Joint Military Operations for Doctrinal Development,” held at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The decision according to him was to proffer far-reaching measures that would mitigate future incidences of collateral damage to civilians during Nigerian Air Force (NAF) operations.
Speaking further, Air Marshal Amao noted that the investigation further aims at promoting accountability, allowing the NAF to learn valuable lessons in order to avoid or mitigate similar cases in the future as well as take extra measures to minimize civilian harm and casualties in conflict areas.
While congratulating 17 young pilots winged, as highlighted during the opening ceremony of the seminar, he implored the pilots to be prepared for the arduous task ahead.
He noted, “There is no better way to launch you into your operational flying career than to have you draw from the rich operational experiences of seasoned pilots who will be discussing germane issues relevant to air operations.
“Specifically, Air Marshal Amao reminded the young pilots to always adhere to laid down Rules of Engagement while also taking all necessary steps to protect civilians and minimize civilian casualties during operations.
“The efforts to mitigate civilian casualties are not just a reflection of NAF values as a Service, but also strategically imperative to our operations.”
He restated the security challenges currently impinging on the nation’s stability but noted that the Armed Forces of Nigeria has made significant gains in curtailing and degrading the resources and capabilities of miscreants that seek to destabilize the nation.
He lauded the efforts of the NAF at unleashing the coercive effects of air power, particularly on terrorists through intensive air interdiction of their locations and facilities.
In a statement by the director of Public Relations and Information Air Cdre Edward Gabkwet, Amao said these strikes have degraded their resources, disrupted their supply lines, and denied them their freedom of movement.
The CAS stated that the theme of the seminar was borne out of the need to draw instructions from the diverse and rich air combat experiences towards the development of sound doctrinal principles to guide future engagements.
He said lessons learnt from previous campaigns remain veritable sources of input for doctrinal development.
“Hence the need to re-appraise our past operational successes and failures in order to re-strategize towards a more operationally effective NAF that can contribute to expeditiously ending the current scourge of insecurity,” he stated.
In doing so, however, Air Marshal Amao called on the need to take cognizance of the dynamism and complexities of the ever-changing security environment while adopting strategies that would promote NAF’s retention of credible air power capability to prosecute current and future warfare.
In his remarks, the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, noted that the NAF has lived up to its statutory responsibilities and objectives over the years considering its successful exploits in Sierra Leone, Liberia, The Gambia, and Mali which have accorded great international recognition for Nigeria.
He noted that the professionalism of the NAF under the leadership of Air Marshal Amao has further given the Nigerian state a sense of hope and security.
While acknowledging the great sacrifice that Nigeria’s prestigious serving and retired Airmen have made and continue to make towards the peace and progress of the country, he noted with conviction that with the pragmatic and dynamic leadership of Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, the NAF will be provided with all that it requires to optimally contribute to securing the nation.
On the sideline of the Operations Seminar, the NAF will on 28 October be conducting Sea Flying/Training Exercise using some selected NAF aircraft.
The aim of the exercise was basically to showcase the capabilities of the NAF as well as its presence in the ongoing air operations against crude oil theft in the South-south region of the country. It is also a training exercise that intends to improve aircrew skills in the tactical aspects of maritime operations thus enhancing their skills.
Matching words with action, Amao on 23rd November 2022 chaired the NAF Safety Review Board (SRB) meeting in Lagos.
The NAF spokesman in a statement said the meeting is usually held primarily to review safety issues in the NAF to appraise the progress made so far in furtherance of efforts to enhance safety practices.
Air Marshal Amao while declaring the meeting open said bearing in mind that safety is at the core of NAF’s daily routines, the Service remains committed to developing, implementing, and reviewing policies to ensure that NAF activities were conducted with the utmost safety in an optimally safe environment.
He reiterated the importance of the SRB, which is to guide the NAF in appropriately allocating resources to support all safety systems and build organisational culture that fosters safe practices.
Air Marshal Amao added that the meeting was expected to provide an avenue to examine prevalent and evolving safety challenges to enable the NAF to adopt safety processes to uphold high safety standards in all its activities.
The CAS noted that the meeting was expected to enable members to proffer realistic and lasting solutions to NAF safety-related issues in operations, maintenance, health, and environmental practices.
Air Marshal Amao also stated that beyond the discussions dwelling on safety in air operations, the year 2022 safety meeting must also deliberate on health and environmental safety measures and strategies, bearing in mind the consequences of neglecting the working and living environments as well as poor personal health management.
He, therefore, directed the Chief of Standards and Evaluation to ensure that all NAF units have at least a safety-trained officer to mitigate the dangers associated with poor safety management and procedures.
He also reiterated the need for all NAF pilots and aircrew to continue to be updated with evolving safety measures and ensure they keep abreast with new safety innovations in line with best international practices.
While acknowledging that safety in the NAF remains a shared responsibility that requires synergy amongst personnel, the CAS stressed the need for all to understand that safety demands constant vigilance which the NAF is determined to enforce.
Air Marshal Amao further stated that the NAF has continued to improve safety culture through the enhancement of safety education through the NAF Institute of Safety (NAFIS), which has been reinvigorated to conduct broad-based training and ensure that skilled personnel implements NAF safety strategies and processes.
He said, “training programmes at NAFIS have recently been reviewed and tailored to meet the needs of various trade specialties.”
Air Marshal Amao also noted with delight that NAF pilots and Instructor Pilots have received flight safety training overseas and at NAFIS which has contributed to enhancing their training profiles. In closing the CAS enjoined the gathering to continue to accord safety the highest priority it deserves in their deliberation during the meeting.
The SRB meeting, which was held barely a month after the NAF Operations Seminar in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where the CAS re-emphasized the need for NAF pilots to take extra safety precautions and measures to safeguard and avoid accidental air strikes on civilian lives and properties, is expected to dovetail into a 2-day Safety Seminar from 24-25 November 2022.
The board meeting featured papers on how to reposition and entrench NAF safety management systems as well as safety culture in the NAF were presented by erudite safety specialists to agitate discussions and deliberations. The last NAF SRB meeting was held in Abuja.
As Nigerians continuously call for an investigation into accidental discharges, one can only hope that the meeting will arrive at conclusions that would take care of the yearnings of the victims and provide a lasting solution to those incidents.
