DHQ dismisses video of CDS endorsing politics as fake

The Defence Headquarters has debunked a viral video purportedly showing the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, making statements suggesting partisan political support.

In a statement issued on its X handle on Thursday, the DHQ described the video as fabricated and said it did not originate from the CDS.

“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.

It also dismissed the statements attributed to Oluyede in the video, urging members of the public to disregard them.

“The statements attributed to the CDS in the video are false and should be completely disregarded,” the DHQ added.

According to the military authorities, the video was produced through artificial intelligence-generated manipulation and was apparently designed to mislead the public and misrepresent the position of the Chief of Defence Staff.

“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 said.

The DHQ reaffirmed the 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 Defence Headquarters condemned the creation and circulation of the video and warned those responsible for producing it, as well as individuals knowingly sharing the material, to stop immediately.

“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,” the statement said.

The military urged Nigerians to rely only on information released through its official communication channels and to disregard the circulating video.