From Abuja, Molly Killet
The General Defense Command said a video circulating on social media falsely portraying the Chief of Defense Staff and the Chief of Army Staff was fabricated and digitally manipulated to mislead the public.
DHQ said the video falsely depicts former Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa, and in some versions attempts to misrepresent the individual who appears as Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede.
Disclosing this, the Director of Defense Intelligence, Major General Samaira Uba, said the video does not represent any official communication, statement, commitment or position of the Chief of Defense Staff or the Chief of Army Staff.
In a statement, Uba called on the public to completely ignore the video as it did not come from any official military source.
He said that an evaluation of the video showed that its content had clear signs of digital manipulation predicated on artificial intelligence and should not be trusted in any way.
The statement read: “The Defense Command has confirmed the circulation of fabricated videos on social media platforms that falsely portray the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), General OO Oluyede, and in some cases misrepresent the person appearing as the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General OO Oluyede.”
“The Defense Headquarters declares that this video is false and misleading and does not represent any official communication, position, statement or engagement involving the Chief of Defense Staff or the Chief of Army Staff. This content is a deliberate attempt to misinform the public and cause confusion regarding the operations and leadership of the Nigerian Armed Forces.”
“The public is advised to ignore the video in its entirety as it does not originate from official military sources. Evaluation of the video indicates that the content has clear signs of digital manipulation premised on artificial intelligence and should not be trusted in any way.”
“The Headquarters remains concerned about the growing trend of individuals abusing digital technology and social media platforms to fabricate content involving senior military officials. Such actions not only amount to misinformation, but can undermine public trust and ultimately undermine national security efforts.”
“The Defense Headquarters further urges social media influencers, bloggers, content creators, and online commentators to refrain from sharing, reposting, endorsing, or amplifying unverified military-related content. The pursuit of online visibility and engagement must not come at the expense of truth, national security, and responsible journalism.
“Media personnel and members of the public are encouraged to verify information through the official communication channels of the Defense Headquarters before publishing or distributing it.
“The Nigerian Armed Forces will continue to focus on its constitutional responsibilities and work tirelessly to protect the sovereignty, peace and security of the nation.”
