•Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede
The Defence Headquarters has raised the alarm over a fabricated artificial intelligence-generated video falsely portraying the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, as making partisan political statements.
The military described the video as a deliberate attempt to deceive the public, misrepresent the position of the nation’s top military officer and create the impression that the Armed Forces of Nigeria is taking a political position, reports The Guardian.
In a statement issued today, Thursday, August 27, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said the video did not originate from the Chief of Defence Staff and that the statements attributed to General Oluyede were false.
According to the Defence Headquarters, the video was created through Artificial Intelligence manipulation and deliberately designed to appear authentic.
The military said the material appeared intended to mislead Nigerians, distort the views of the CDS and damage the reputation of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The development comes amid growing concerns over the use of artificial intelligence to create realistic but fabricated videos and audio recordings of public officials and other prominent personalities.
The Defence Headquarters said the particular video was especially concerning because of the position of the person being impersonated and the potential consequences of falsely portraying the military leadership as taking a partisan political position.
The DHQ therefore urged members of the public to completely disregard the video and any statements attributed to General Oluyede in the fabricated material.
The military stressed that the statements contained in the video were not made by the Chief of Defence Staff and did not represent his views or the position of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The Defence Headquarters also reaffirmed the political neutrality of the Nigerian military, saying the Armed Forces remains a professional, apolitical and non-partisan institution committed to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the defence of the nation.
The clarification is significant given the sensitive role of the military in Nigeria’s democratic system and the constitutional expectation that the Armed Forces remain above partisan political interests.
The DHQ condemned what it described as the deliberate creation and circulation of the fake video, warning that such material could undermine public confidence in the institution and bring the Armed Forces into disrepute.
It also warned those responsible for creating the video, as well as individuals knowingly amplifying or circulating it, to desist from doing so.
The warning comes as social media platforms continue to make it easier for fabricated content to spread rapidly, often reaching large audiences before its authenticity can be independently established. AI-generated videos can be particularly difficult for ordinary users to identify because they can convincingly reproduce a person’s appearance, voice and mannerisms.
The Defence Headquarters consequently urged Nigerians to exercise caution when encountering videos or statements purportedly issued by senior military officers, especially where the content involves politically sensitive issues.
The military advised members of the public to rely on information released through its verified and official communication channels for accurate information about the Armed Forces and its leadership.
The official channels listed by the Defence Headquarters include Defence Headquarters Nigeria on Facebook, DHQNigeria on X, DefenceHQ on Instagram, Defence Headquarters Nigeria on WhatsApp and DefenceTV-Nigeria on YouTube. The statement was signed by Major General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information, on August 27, 2026.
The incident has further highlighted the emerging challenge posed by AI-generated misinformation, particularly when manipulated content is used to attribute statements to senior government, military or political figures.
For the Armed Forces, the concern goes beyond the authenticity of one video. A fabricated statement suggesting that the military leadership has taken a political position could create confusion, fuel unnecessary controversy and undermine confidence in the institution’s neutrality.
The Defence Headquarters has therefore sought to draw a clear line between the fabricated material and the actual position of the Chief of Defence Staff. It maintained that the video is fake, that the statements attributed to General Oluyede are false and that the Armed Forces remains committed to its professional and non-partisan role.
The DHQ’s message to Nigerians is to disregard the material and verify sensitive claims through official channels before believing or sharing them.
