The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) “has dismissed claims that the Nigerian military plans to forcibly recruit citizens from the age of 18,” describing the reports as “completely false.”
Brigadier-General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information (DDI), clarified that a video circulating online, which “falsely attributed the statement to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, was both fabricated and manipulated.”
Uba said: “The attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to a fake video that mischievously used a cloned image of the Chief of Defence Staff. In the video, a false statement was attributed to him, suggesting that the military intends to compel young Nigerians from the age of 18 to join the armed forces against their will. This is entirely untrue.”
Uba emphasized that the military “remains a noble profession, attracting thousands of patriotic Nigerians who willingly enlist in its ranks through formal recruitment exercises across the Nigerian Army, Air Force, and Navy.”
He also stressed that the fake video and statement “were clearly intended to damage the reputation of the CDS and portray the military negatively.”
Uba said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the purported statement was never made by the Chief of Defence Staff, any of the Service Chiefs, or any member of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
Highlighting the dangers of disinformation in the age of artificial intelligence, he urged Nigerians to “verify sources before sharing content.”
He added: “All official statements from the Chief of Defence Staff come only through verified DHQ spokespersons and official social media handles. The public is kindly requested to disregard the fake video and statement in circulation.”
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