The Army Headquarters Department of Civil Military Affairs (AHQ DCMA) was established in December 2010 by the then Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General OA Ihejirika to serve primarily as an interface between the Nigerian Army and the Civil Populace. It has the responsibility of underscoring the fundamentals of Civil Military Affairs as a Strategic National Institution. The Department is also charged with introducing and transmitting the core elements of effective civil-military relations in areas of human rights, rule of law, negotiations, liaison and conflict management.