In response to a viral video, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has denied claims that it intends to forcefully recruit young Nigerians into the military.
The Director of Defence Information, Defence Headquarters Says No Plans to Draft Young Nigerians Into Military, clarified that the video, which falsely attributed the statement to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, is fake and manipulated.
“The attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to the circulation of a video depicting a cloned image of the Chief of Defence Staff. In it, a malicious statement was attributed to him, suggesting the military intends to forcefully recruit young Nigerians from the age of 18″, Uba said.
He emphasized that the Nigerian military remains a noble profession, attracting thousands of patriotic Nigerians who willingly join its ranks during recruitment exercises across the Nigerian Army, Air Force, and Navy.
Uba described the fake video and statement as intended to defame the CDS and tarnish the military’s reputation, saying, “For the avoidance of doubt, let it be on record that the purported statement was never made by the Chief of Defence Staff, any Service Chief, or any member of the Armed Forces of Nigeria”, he said.
He also urged the public to exercise caution in the age of artificial intelligence, disinformation, and malinformation, and to verify sources before sharing statements or videos online.
“All official statements from the Chief of Defence Staff come only from verified DHQ spokespersons and official social media channels. The public is kindly requested to disregard the fake video and statement in circulation”, Uba added.
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