Nigeria’s military has warned the public against a fabricated video circulating on social media that purports to show the country’s highest-ranking military officer.
The Defence Headquarters stated that the digitally manipulated clip falsely portrays the Chief of Defence Staff, General OO Oluyede, with some online posts also misidentifying the individual featured as the Chief of Army Staff.
Military officials said an assessment of the footage revealed clear signs of digital manipulation using Artificial Intelligence (AI). They described the clip as a deliberate attempt to misinform the public and undermine confidence in the leadership of the armed forces.
In a statement, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, urged the public to disregard the video entirely, confirming it did not originate from any official military source.
The military expressed growing concern over the use of emerging technologies to target senior commanders, warning that such misinformation could compromise national security.
“The quest for online visibility and engagement must not come at the expense of truth, national security and responsible journalism,” Major General Uba said.
Social media influencers, bloggers, and media practitioners have been urged to stop sharing or amplifying unverified military content, and to verify information through official defence channels before dissemination.
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