The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed as fake a viral video that appears to show the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, ordering the forced recruitment of Nigerians aged 18 and above into the armed forces.
In a statement issued on Saturday and signed by Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Samaila Uba, the military described the footage as a “mischievously cloned image” and warned that it was designed to defame the CDS and cast the Armed Forces of Nigeria in a bad light.
“The attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to the circulation of a fake video depicting a mischievously cloned image of the Chief of Defence Staff, General OO Oluyede AFM,” the statement read.
“In the fake video, a malicious statement was attributed to him about the intent of the military to forcefully recruit young Nigerians from the age of 18 years into the military against their will. For the avoidance of doubt, 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.”
Uba stressed that the Nigerian military remains a voluntary, “noble profession” that continues to attract thousands of willing applicants during regular recruitment exercises into the Army, Navy and Air Force.
He warned that the clip is part of a growing wave of disinformation and deepfake content enabled by advances in artificial intelligence, and urged citizens to verify all such materials before sharing them.
“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,” he said.
The DHQ advised the public to rely only on information issued through its verified spokespersons and official social media handles for statements attributed to the CDS or the Armed Forces.
Nigeria’s security establishment has increasingly raised the alarm over the national security risks posed by fake news and AI-generated deepfakes, warning that doctored videos targeting senior officers can inflame tensions and undermine public trust in the military.
The DHQ urged Nigerians to report suspicious content to relevant authorities, and to support ongoing efforts to combat misinformation so that “the credibility and honour of the Armed Forces of Nigeria” are not eroded by malicious fabrications.
