The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has pushed back on a misleading video now doing the rounds on social media, saying it wrongly shows the Chief of Defence Staff, General OO Oluyede.
In a 9 June 2026 statement, Major General Samalia Uba, Director of Defence Information, called the clip fabricated, deceptive and “completely unrelated to any official communication, statement, or engagement involving either of the senior military officials.” The DHQ says the content was made to mislead the public and stir confusion about the activities and leadership of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The military urged people to ignore the video, stressing it did not come from any official military source or authorised channel. “Initial evaluations conducted by the military suggest that the video shows clear indications of digital manipulation and was likely produced using Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to create a false narrative,” the statement said.
The DHQ warned that rising misuse of new digital tools and social media to fake content about senior officers could erode public trust and even threaten national security. It also told influencers, bloggers, content creators and online commentators to stop sharing unverified military material just for clicks and visibility.
Reiterating its commitment to national security, the Armed Forces of Nigeria asked media and the public to verify information through official DHQ channels and assured Nigerians it remains dedicated to protecting the nation’s sovereignty, peace and security.
