DHQ debunks viral video on compulsory military recruitment

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed a viral video claiming that the Armed Forces plans to forcefully recruit Nigerians aged 18 and above into military service.

The DHQ Director of Information, Brig.-Gen. Samaila Uba, made this known in a statement issued on Saturday, November 22, 2025.

Uba said the video, which featured a cloned image of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, was fabricated to mislead the public and smear the military leadership.

Uba noted that neither the CDS nor any Service Chief has issued such a directive.

He described the claim as malicious, mischievous, and aimed at portraying the military in bad light.

Uba stated that recruitment into the Armed Forces remained voluntary, with thousands of Nigerians applying willingly during each enlistment exercise.

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He cautioned the public against the growing spread of digitally manipulated content, especially with the ease of creating fake videos through Artificial Intelligence tools.

The defence spokesman urged Nigerians to verify information from official DHQ communication channels before sharing.

Uba stressed that only statements issued through the Defence Headquarters’ authorised spokespersons and verified social media handles should be considered credible.

He urged the public to disregard the video in circulation, describing it as fake and baseless.

The Star