DHQ:Military Executes Tinubu’s Security Directive, Targets Terror Misinformation
The military high command has vowed to intensify its efforts against terrorism and the spread of misinformation, stating that it is fully committed to implementing President Bola Tinubu’s directive on national security to the letter.
Speaking at a bi-weekly press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major-General Markus Kangye, emphasized that the Armed Forces are not only fighting terrorists on the battlefield but are also confronting the growing threat of propaganda and fake news, especially on social media.
“We have to take it to the letter and go by the Presidential Directive,” Kangye said. “As I’m addressing you now, the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Operations, and other relevant staff officers have been in the North East for about three to four days. They are strategizing, assessing, and blocking loopholes to execute this directive effectively.”
Kangye warned that many of the violent incidents circulating online are either outdated or manipulated content aimed at spreading fear and undermining the morale of citizens and troops.
He noted that terrorists often wear military fatigues, making it difficult to distinguish between insurgents and legitimate security forces in videos posted online.
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“They put on any uniform they can find and post old clips without context,” he said. “They want to make the public live in perpetual fear. But our outposts remain undaunted, focused, and determined to stop them.”
The military spokesperson stressed that the only effective way to silence terrorist propaganda is to eliminate the source. “You can’t block them from social media directly, but you can block them from putting anything online by going after them. If they’re not alive, they can’t post anything,” Kangye stated firmly.
He also revealed that linguistic analysis is being used to identify foreign fighters among insurgents. “Even when they speak Hausa, we can tell from their intonation and dialect that they are not from Nigeria,” he said, pointing out that some perpetrators of violence in the North have origins in countries like Mali, Chad, and Central African Republic.
Kangye called for stronger collaboration between military forces and other government agencies, especially those tasked with border security and immigration control.
“There are agencies whose responsibility it is to check those coming in and going out of Nigeria. We must work together to safeguard our nation,” he added.
While fielding questions from journalists, he acknowledged that while some clashes, such as between herders and farmers, may have domestic roots, much of the violence is fueled by non-Nigerians who infiltrate the country through its porous borders.
Maj.-Gen. Kangye assured Nigerians that the military remains committed to restoring peace and stability, urging citizens to be wary of unverified content online and to support the Armed Forces with credible information.
