The Defence Headquarters has uncovered a fake video circulating online which falsely attributes a statement to the Chief of Defence Staff, General OO Oluyede AFM, about forcibly recruiting Nigerians aged 18 and above into the military.
In a sharp rebuttal, Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Samaila Uba, condemned the video, describing it as “a mischievously cloned image designed to mislead the public.”
“It is a fake statement and video crafted to defame the Chief of Defence Staff and cast the Armed Forces in bad light,” Uba declared.
He stressed that the military operates strictly on voluntary recruitment. “The Armed Forces of Nigeria is a noble institution. Thousands of patriotic Nigerians willingly apply to join every recruitment cycle. There is absolutely no basis for any claim of forced enlistment,” he said.
Uba insisted that no such directive was ever issued: “Let it be on record that the purported statement was never made by the CDS, any of the Service Chiefs, or any member of the Armed Forces.”
Commenting on the broader issue, he warned: “In this age of Artificial Intelligence, disinformation and malinformation are becoming more sophisticated. Nigerians must be cautious and verify the authenticity of videos and statements before sharing.”
He urged the public: “Please disregard the fake video and rely only on official DHQ spokespersons and verified social media handles.”
DHQ Exposes Fake Video Targeting CDS Oluyede, Says It’s ‘A Malicious Cloned Image’
