No Plans to Draft Nigerians into the Military – DHQ Refutes Viral Fake Video

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has debunked a viral video that falsely depicted the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General OO Oluyede, as announcing plans to forcibly recruit young Nigerians into the military. According to the DHQ, the video was maliciously engineered through cloning technology to tarnish the image of the CDS and mislead the public.

In a statement released on Saturday, the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Samaila Uba, described the video as a deliberate manipulation of General Oluyede’s image and voice to suggest that the Armed Forces of Nigeria intends to compel citizens aged 18 and above to join the military. He condemned the material as “fake, defamatory and calculated to portray the military in 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. “This fake statement and video are clearly intended to defame the character of the Chief of Defence Staff and are capable of portraying the military in bad light.”

Uba emphasised that neither the CDS, the Service Chiefs, nor any officer of the Armed Forces has ever issued such a statement. He reiterated that the military remains a voluntary and esteemed profession that continues to attract thousands of willing applicants during recruitment exercises conducted by the Army, Navy and Air Force.

He also warned the public about the rising threat of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven falsehoods, urging Nigerians to verify the authenticity of videos and documents before circulating 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 cautioned.

The DHQ advised citizens to rely exclusively on its verified spokespersons and official social media platforms for accurate information concerning the CDS or military operations. It urged the public to disregard the trending video and any similar fabricated content.

Brigadier General Uba reaffirmed the Armed Forces’ dedication to professionalism, transparency and the protection of Nigeria’s sovereignty, assuring that misinformation will not distract the military from fulfilling its mandate.