The military headquarters has activated cybersecurity measures and urged Nigerians to ignore suspicious posts while efforts continue to restore full control
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has raised the alarm over an attempted compromise of its official X account, prompting cybersecurity measures and a warning to Nigerians to disregard any suspicious or unauthorised content posted from the platform.
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The disclosure was made on Saturday by Major General Samaila Uba, Director of Defence Information, as the military authorities worked to secure the account and prevent further unauthorised access.
The development places the DHQ X account compromised incident in the wider context of growing cybersecurity concerns surrounding official government communication channels, where unauthorised posts can potentially create confusion or spread misleading information during sensitive security operations.
“The Defence Headquarters wishes to inform members of the public, the media and all stakeholders that it has detected an attempted unauthorised compromise of its official X (formerly Twitter) account,” Uba said.
He added that the incident was being treated as a cybersecurity matter and that technical measures had been activated to secure the account.
Uba said efforts were continuing to restore full control of the official platform, while urging members of the public and the media to exercise caution over information appearing on the account during the disruption.
“Members of the public are advised to disregard any suspicious, unauthorised or misleading content that may be posted from the account during this period,” he said.
The warning is particularly significant because the DHQ uses social media as an important channel for communicating information about the activities and operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The Defence Headquarters’ official website identifies the organisation as the central military headquarters of the Nigerian Armed Forces and provides information on the activities of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
The military has also previously recognised the security risks associated with social media.
Its published social media policy notes that adversaries may seek information of operational value from online communications and stresses the importance of protecting sensitive information.
The latest incident therefore carries implications beyond the social media platform itself, particularly if unauthorised actors attempt to exploit the account to circulate false operational claims, impersonate military authorities or undermine public confidence.
Uba assured Nigerians that the Defence Headquarters remained committed to information security and to providing accurate, timely and credible updates on military operations.
“We appreciate the understanding and vigilance of the public and will provide further updates as necessary,” he said.
To maintain communication while the issue is being addressed, the DHQ urged members of the public to rely on its verified accounts on other platforms, including Facebook under the name Defence Headquarters Nigeria, Instagram at @defenceheadquarters and its WhatsApp Channel, Defence Headquarters Nigeria.
The incident also highlights the increasingly important role of secure digital communication for security institutions.
In an environment where information can spread rapidly, the ability to distinguish authentic military communication from compromised or fabricated content remains critical.
For now, the DHQ has not disclosed who was responsible for the attempted breach, how the unauthorised access occurred or whether any sensitive information was accessed.
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Those questions are expected to form part of the technical assessment as efforts continue to regain and secure the official account.
Victory Emmanuel is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
