The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has condemned a widely circulated report, misrepresenting the comments made by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Olufemi Oluyede, on counterterrorism operations in Borno and Yobe States.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Director of Defence Information, Samaila Uba, said the military was compelled to respond due to the risk of misinformation undermining ongoing operations.
TheFact Daily reports that the CDS was quoted as saying, “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”.
Uba clarified that the CDS did not accuse residents of supporting terrorists but emphasised the need for community partnership, vigilance, and shared responsibility in tackling insecurity.
He noted that the call for citizens to “take ownership” of the fight aligns with global counterinsurgency practices, which rely on strong collaboration between security forces and local populations.
The Defence Headquarters added that the CDS referenced isolated cases where criminal elements exploited communities—such as instances of wounded insurgents being harboured—but stressed this was not a blanket indictment of residents.
The military reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing operations and urged media organisations to verify information and avoid sensational reporting capable of eroding public trust.
