By Elizabeth Tanko
Abuja, Nigeria – The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, has raised the alarm over the growing use of Artificial Intelligence-generated deepfakes as weapons of war aimed at eroding public trust in the military and causing panic.
The CDS stated this in his goodwill message at the 3rd Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DECAN) Conference on National Security and Awards Ceremony held in Abuja.
Themed: “Beyond Kinetic Warfare: Harnessing Technology and Intelligence-Led Operations for Nigeria’s National Security,” the conference focused on the shift from firepower to information dominance.
According to Gen Oluyede, modern battles are no longer won by firepower alone but by superior information, real-time intelligence, technological dominance and control of the narrative space.
He disclosed that the Armed Forces has invested in the Defence Space Administration, modular earth observation outposts, Defence Space School and AI-enabled surveillance to strengthen national security.
He, however, warned that adversaries are now deploying AI-generated fake videos, cloned voices and false operational claims as tools of psychological warfare.
“These deepfakes are not mere misinformation; they are weapons aimed at eroding public trust. A single AI-generated video can undo months of operational gains, endanger troops and cause panic,” the said.
He charged members of DECAN to uphold truth as a national security imperative, verify sensitive operational content with the Defence Headquarters before publication, partner with the military to expose fake AI messages and champion intelligence-led journalism.
