- Safiu Kehinde
The Defence Headquarters has debunked video of the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, allegedly calling for the forceful recruitment of Nigerians youths from the age of 18 years and above.
Oluyede was reported to have made the call in a now viral video shared on social media platforms.
Reacting to the development, the DHQ, in a statement issued on Saturday by its spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Samaila Uba, declared the video and the reported statement fake.
It held that the image of the Army chief was cloned by Artificial Intelligence to defame the character of Oluyede.
The DHQ said the statement was never made by the Chief of Defence Staff, any of the Service Chiefs and indeed by any member of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
It urged members of the public to disregard the video and always verify statements from its spokespersons or official social media handles.
The statement read; “The attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to the circulation of a fake video depicting a mischievously cloned image of the Chief of Defence Staff General OO Oluyede AFM.
“In the fake video, a malicious statement was attributed to him about the intent of the military to forcefully recruit young Nigerians from the age of 18 years into the military against their will.
“This fake statement and video are clearly intended to defame the character of the Chief of Defence Staff and are capable of portraying the military in bad light.
“The military remains a noble profession with thousands of patriotic Nigerians ever ready to willingly join its ranks as attested to during various recruitment exercises into the 3 arms of the Nigerian military.
“For the avoidance of doubt, let it be on record that the purported statement was never made by the Chief of Defence Staff, any of the Service Chiefs and indeed by any member of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
“In this age of Artificial Intelligence, disinformation and malinformation it is important that care is taken by all to avoid the creation and sharing of fake statements and videos without clearly verifying their source and authenticity.
“It is therefore important for all to note that all statements and releases from the Chief of Defence Staff are to be sourced from verified Defence Headquarter’s designated spokespersons and its official social media handles.
“All are please requested to kindly disregard the fake video and statement in circulation.”