Defence Headquarters X Account Under Cyberattack Scare

Nigeria's Defence Headquarters (DHQ) recently announced that its official X platform, previously known as Twitter, experienced an attempt at unauthorized access, leading to a compromise of the account. In a release issued on Saturday by Major General Samaila Uba, the Director of Defence Information, the DHQ confirmed that this event is being handled as a critical cybersecurity concern. It further stated that robust technical protocols have been put in place to safeguard the account.

The official statement conveyed, "The Defence Headquarters deems it necessary to notify the public, media organizations, and all relevant parties about the detection of an attempted illicit compromise of its official X (formerly Twitter) presence." It continued, "This occurrence is presently being managed as a cybersecurity issue, and all necessary technical interventions have been deployed to secure the account and avert any additional unauthorized intrusions."

Maj Gen Uba elaborated that initiatives are actively underway to regain full command over the compromised official account. He cautioned the populace to disregard any content that appears suspicious, unauthorized, or misleading should it surface on the account during this recovery phase. He reiterated, "The Defence Headquarters reassures the public that diligent efforts are in progress to completely re-establish control of the official account. Therefore, members of the public are strongly advised to disregard any suspicious, unauthorized, or erroneous information that may be disseminated from the account during this interval."

Uba further affirmed the DHQ's unwavering dedication to upholding stringent information security protocols. This commitment aims to guarantee that citizens consistently receive precise, prompt, and trustworthy updates regarding the operations and activities of the Nigerian Armed Forces. He concluded by stating, "We value the public's understanding and their continued vigilance, and we will issue further communications as required."

For seamless and reliable communication, the Defence Headquarters encouraged the general populace to utilize its authenticated presence on alternative social media platforms. These include its Facebook page, 'Defence Headquarters Nigeria,' its Instagram handle, '@defenceheadquarters,' and its dedicated WhatsApp Channel, also named 'Defence Headquarters Nigeria.'