BREAKING: Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters X Account Compromised, Military Warns Public

Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has confirmed that its official X account has been subjected to an attempted unauthorised compromise, prompting the military authorities to activate measures to regain and secure control of the platform.

The development was announced on Saturday, August 15, 2026, in a statement issued by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba. The DHQ described the incident as a cybersecurity matter and urged members of the public to exercise caution over information emanating from the affected account.

According to the statement, the military detected an attempt to gain unauthorised access to its official X account. Technical measures have subsequently been activated to secure the account and prevent further unauthorised activity.

The Defence Headquarters said efforts were ongoing to fully restore control of the account. It consequently warned Nigerians, media organisations and other stakeholders against relying on suspicious, unauthorised or misleading material that could be posted through the account while the security incident is being addressed.

The warning is particularly significant because the DHQ’s X account is one of the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s major channels for communicating official information about military operations, security developments and activities involving senior military authorities.

Reports circulating online indicated that the account had displayed content unrelated to the military, including cryptocurrency-related material, raising concerns that unauthorised persons may have obtained control of the platform. However, the DHQ’s official statement referred specifically to an attempted unauthorised compromise and did not identify the perpetrators or disclose the technical method allegedly used.

The military authorities have not publicly attributed the incident to any individual, group or foreign actor. They have also not disclosed whether the reported compromise affected any other Defence Headquarters digital systems or exposed sensitive information.

The incident comes at a time when government institutions and security agencies face increasing cybersecurity and misinformation challenges. A compromised official military communication channel could potentially be exploited to circulate false operational information, misleading security alerts or fraudulent messages.

The DHQ therefore advised the public to rely on its verified communication platforms outside X for accurate information while efforts to secure the affected account continue. These include its Facebook page, Instagram account and WhatsApp Channel under the Defence Headquarters Nigeria identity.

The Defence Headquarters reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining strong information-security standards and ensuring that Nigerians receive accurate and credible information about the activities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. The military also appealed for public vigilance while the recovery process continues.

The latest development underscores the importance of cybersecurity protection for official government communication platforms, particularly those operated by national-security institutions. The DHQ said it would provide further updates as necessary and urged Nigerians to disregard any suspicious content appearing on the compromised X account until official control is fully restored.