Abuja, Nigeria – The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has officially debunked a misleading online report claiming that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, accused the residents of Borno and Yobe States of being complicit in terrorism.
Okay News reports that the clarification was issued on Thursday by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba.
The DHQ explained that General Oluyede’s recent remarks were grossly misrepresented, noting that he never made a blanket accusation against the citizens of the two states.
Instead, the CDS was emphasizing the necessity of community partnership, vigilance, and collective responsibility in the ongoing counterterrorism campaign.
While the CDS did cite a specific instance where wounded terrorists were found hiding within a community after attacking troops, the military stressed that this was a factual observation meant to encourage local vigilance, not an indictment of the entire population.
The DHQ further urged media organizations to exercise professionalism and avoid sensationalism that could erode public trust and undermine ongoing security efforts.
