The Defence Headquarters has dismissed a circulating video that falsely attributes a statement to the Chief of Defence Staff, General OO Oluyede, warning that the clip is fabricated and aimed at maligning the military leadership.
In the viral video, an AI-generated image of the Defence Chief is shown making a claim that the Armed Forces plans to “forcefully recruit young Nigerians from the age of 18 against their will.” Authorities say no such statement was ever made.
Describing the video as “mischievously cloned” and “malicious,” the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Samaila Uba, said the content was designed to defame the Defence Chief and cast the military in a negative light.
“The purported statement was never made by the Chief of Defence Staff, any of the Service Chiefs, or by any member of the Armed Forces of Nigeria,”
Uba said in a statement on Saturday. He warned that the intention behind the clip was to “portray the military in bad light.”
Uba noted that the military remains a voluntary and respected institution, attracting “thousands of patriotic Nigerians eager to join its ranks,” as demonstrated by turnout at recruitment exercises across the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
He also stressed the growing risk of misinformation in the digital age. “In this era of artificial intelligence, disinformation and malinformation, it is important that care is taken to avoid creating and sharing fake statements and videos without verifying their authenticity,” he cautioned.
The Defence Headquarters urged Nigerians to rely only on official communication channels when seeking information regarding the Defence Chief or military operations.
“All statements and releases from the Chief of Defence Staff should be sourced from verified DHQ spokespersons and official social media handles,” Uba said, advising the public to disregard the fake video currently in circulation.
