The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed a viral video circulating on social media, purportedly showing terrorists overrunning a military base in Marte, Borno State and killing soldiers, as false and misleading.
In a statement issued late Thursday, Major General Markus Kangye, Director of Defence Media Operations, described the footage as a recycled clip from a different incident that originally occurred on December 7, 2020.
“The attention of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) has been drawn to a video currently circulating on social media, falsely presented as footage from the recent attack on troops in Marte,” Kangye said. “Following a thorough forensic analysis, it has been confirmed that the video is unrelated to the Marte incident.”
He explained that the terrain, visual elements, and operational context of the video clearly indicated it was from a past event and not the recent encounter involving troops in Marte on May 12, 2025.
Kangye revealed that during the actual attack on that date, which occurred around 3 a.m., Nigerian troops successfully repelled the terrorists after a fierce gun battle, neutralizing many of the attackers while others fled with injuries.
He accused criminal elements and terrorist sympathisers of deliberately recycling the old footage as propaganda to mislead the public and erode confidence in the military’s efforts.
“This act of misinformation is not only malicious but a failed attempt to demoralise our gallant troops and undermine public trust in the Armed Forces,” Kangye said.
He stressed that those behind the disinformation campaign would be identified and prosecuted.
Reaffirming the military’s commitment to national security, Kangye assured Nigerians that troops across all theatres, especially in the North East, are making steady progress in dismantling terrorist networks.
He urged the public to disregard the fake video and rely on official sources for accurate updates, emphasizing that public support remains crucial in the ongoing fight against terrorism.
