The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has strongly refuted a misleading report circulating in the media which it says distorted recent remarks by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, on the fight against terrorism in Borno and Yobe States.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said the report falsely portrayed the CDS as accusing residents of the two states of complicity in terrorism.
The DHQ clarified that at no point did General Oluyede indicted or generalised that the people of Borno and Yobe were collaborators with terrorists. Rather, his comments, it said, were aimed at emphasising the importance of community partnership and collective responsibility in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.
According to the statement, the CDS had stressed that defeating terrorism requires the active involvement of citizens alongside security forces.
“The fight against terrorism is not the responsibility of the military alone. It is a collective duty. The people of Borno and Yobe must reject terrorism in all its forms and actively support security agencies with credible and timely information,” he stated.
The DHQ explained that the CDS’ call for residents to “take ownership” of the fight is in line with globally accepted counterinsurgency strategies, which recognise that sustainable peace can only be achieved through cooperation between local communities and security agencies.
It further noted that the CDS made reference to specific incidents where criminal elements exploited community structures to support terrorist activities. One such example involved wounded terrorists who were found within a community after participating in attacks on troops—an observation the DHQ said was intended to encourage vigilance rather than cast aspersions on entire populations.
Reaffirming its commitment, the DHQ stated that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain resolute in defending the country’s territorial integrity and protecting all law-abiding citizens, while continuing to record significant gains in ongoing operations across the North East and other theatres.
The military high command also urged media organisations and content creators to exercise professionalism by verifying facts and avoiding sensationalism that could mislead the public or undermine national security efforts.
While appreciating the resilience and cooperation of residents in Borno, Yobe and across the country, the DHQ also acknowledged the role of journalists in supporting the fight against terrorism.
It expressed confidence that with sustained collaboration between the military, the media and the public, Nigeria would overcome its security challenges.
