The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed a viral video purportedly showing Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, making partisan political statements, describing the footage as an artificial intelligence-generated fabrication.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the military authorities said the video did not originate from the CDS and urged Nigerians to disregard the claims attributed to him.

“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.

According to the DHQ, the footage was manipulated using artificial intelligence and was apparently created to mislead the public about Oluyede’s position.

“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,” it said.

The military also rejected the political statements attributed to Oluyede in the video, stressing that they did not reflect his views.

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

It reaffirmed that the Nigerian Armed Forces remains politically neutral and 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,” the statement added.

The Defence Headquarters condemned those behind the production and circulation of the video and warned against knowingly spreading manipulated material.

It urged Nigerians to rely on official military communication channels for authentic information concerning the leadership and activities of the Armed Forces.