The Defence Headquarters(DHQ)has debunked a viral video purportedly showing the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, making statements suggesting partisan political support.
The DHQ, in a statement posted on its X handle on Thursday, described the video as fake and said it did not originate from the Chief of Defence Staff.
“The Defence Headquarters wishes to state unequivocally that the video is fake and did not emanate from the Chief of Defence Staff,” the statement said.
The military authorities also dismissed the statements attributed to Oluyede in the video, urging members of the public to disregard the content.
According to the DHQ, the video was created through artificial intelligence-generated manipulation and was designed to mislead the public and falsely portray the position of the Chief of Defence Staff.
“The statements attributed to the CDS in the video are false and should be completely disregarded,” it added.
The Defence Headquarters said the manipulated video was apparently intended to deceive the public, misrepresent the position of the CDS and bring the Armed Forces of Nigeria into disrepute.
“The video is a product of Artificial Intelligence-generated manipulation, apparently designed to deceive and mislead the public, misrepresent the position of the Chief of Defence Staff and bring the Armed Forces of Nigeria into disrepute,” the statement read.
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The DHQ reaffirmed the apolitical and non-partisan position of the Nigerian military, stressing that the Armed Forces remains committed to its constitutional responsibilities.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Armed Forces of Nigeria remains a professional, apolitical and non-partisan institution, committed to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the defence of the nation,” it said.
The military condemned the production and circulation of the video and warned those responsible for creating it, as well as individuals knowingly amplifying the material, to stop.
“The Defence Headquarters strongly condemns the deliberate creation and circulation of the fake video and warns those behind such acts, as well as persons knowingly amplifying the material, to desist forthwith,” it stated.
The DHQ urged Nigerians to rely on information released through its official communication channels and disregard the circulating video.
