The video clip is being deliberately recycled and manipulated by criminal elements and sympathisers of terrorist groups to mislead the public and sow seed of fear
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has categorically dismissed a viral video circulating on social media, which allegedly shows terrorists attacking a military base in Marte, Borno State, and killing several soldiers.
In a statement released on Thursday night, the DHQ described the video as a deliberate act of disinformation aimed at misleading the public and undermining national security efforts. According to the statement, the footage being circulated is not recent and does not pertain to any current military operation or incident in Marte or elsewhere in Borno State.
Major General Markus Kangye, Director of Defence Media Operations, clarified that the video in question was subjected to detailed forensic analysis by military experts. The analysis revealed that the footage actually originates from a different incident that occurred years ago and was first posted online on December 7, 2020.
General Kangye emphasized that the recycled video is being used as part of a coordinated misinformation campaign to create panic and erode public confidence in the military’s ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the North-East.
He said, “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, Borno State.
“Following a thorough analysis by relevant authorities, it has been confirmed that the video is not related to the Marte incident in any form.
“The visual content, terrain, and operational context clearly indicate that the footage is from an occurrence at a different location which was first posted on 7 December 2020.
“The video clip is being deliberately recycled and manipulated by criminal elements and sympathisers of terrorist groups to mislead the public and sow seed of fear, while aiming at dissuading the public from the gains being recorded by troops of the AFN in the ongoing operations across the country.
“For the avoidance of doubt, troops of AFN in Marte came under attack on Monday 12 May 2025 at about 0300hrs (3 am).
“However, the troops were able to repel the terrorists after fierce gun battle with a large number of terrorists neutralized while others escaped with bullet wounds.
“Following this, the terrorist resulted in sharing an old clip as propaganda to mislead gullible members of the public.
“This act of misinformation is not only malicious but also a failed attempt to demoralize our gallant troops and undermine the confidence of Nigerians in the Armed Forces.
“The AFN condemns in the strongest terms this reckless dissemination of fake content and warns that those behind such disinformation campaigns will be identified and held accountable in accordance with the law.
“The Nigerian military remains fully committed and unwavering in its efforts at defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our nation.
“Our troops in the North East and across all theatres of operations remain resolute and are making significant progress in dismantling terrorist networks.
“We urge the general public to disregard the fake video and rely only on official sources for verified information on military operations.
“The support and cooperation of all Nigerians remain vital in the collective fight against terrorism and all forms of insecurity.”