Sunday, November 23, 2025 - Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters has dismissed a viral video falsely portraying the Chief of Defence Staff, General O.O. Oluyede, suggesting that the military planned to forcefully recruit Nigerians aged 18 and above.
In a statement issued on Saturday by Brigadier General
Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information, the military described the video
as “fake” and “malicious.”
DHQ noted that it featured a cloned image of the CDS with a
fabricated statement intended to smear his reputation and cast the Armed Forces
in a negative light.
The Defence Headquarters stressed that neither the Chief of
Defence Staff, the Service Chiefs, nor any officer of the Armed Forces of
Nigeria made such a remark.
It reiterated that the military remains a respected
institution that attracts thousands of willing applicants during its routine
recruitment exercises.
DHQ warned against the growing threat of misinformation in
the era of Artificial Intelligence. The statement urged the public to stop
creating and circulating unverified videos and messages.
The DHQ further advised Nigerians to rely only on official
Defence Headquarters spokespersons and verified social media platforms for
credible information.
It called on the public to disregard the circulating fake
video and any claims attributed to it.
“For the avoidance of doubt, let it be on record that the
purported statement was never made by the Chief of Defence Staff, any of the
Service Chiefs, and indeed by any member of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
“In this age of Artificial Intelligence, disinformation and
malinformation, it is important that care is taken by all to avoid the creation
and sharing of fake statements and videos without clearly verifying their
source and authenticity,” DHQ clarified.
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