DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Crime & Justice

Defence headquarters X account hacked, DHQ warns public

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) of Nigeria has reported an attempted unauthorized compromise of its official X (formerly Twitter) account.
  • The incident is being treated as a cybersecurity matter, with technical measures implemented to secure the account and prevent further breaches.
  • The public is warned to disregard any suspicious or misleading content posted from the account during this period, while the DHQ works to restore full control.

Nigeria's Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has announced that its official X account, formerly Twitter, was targeted in an attempted unauthorized access. The DHQ is treating the incident as a significant cybersecurity matter and has initiated technical protocols to safeguard the account.

The Defence Headquarters wishes to inform members of the public, the media and all stakeholders that it has detected an attempted unauthorised compromise of its official X (formerly Twitter) account.

— Major General Samaila UbaAnnouncing the attempted breach of the Defence Headquarters' official X account.

In a statement released by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, the DHQ informed the public, media, and stakeholders about the detected compromise attempt. The statement emphasized that appropriate technical measures are now active to secure the account and block any further unauthorized access.

Efforts are underway to regain complete control of the official X account. During this period, the DHQ has issued a stern warning to the public to be vigilant and disregard any content that appears suspicious, unauthorized, or misleading, as it may originate from the compromised account.

The incident is currently being treated as a cybersecurity matter and appropriate technical measures have been activated to secure the account and prevent further unauthorised access.

— Major General Samaila UbaDescribing the response and ongoing actions to secure the compromised account.

The DHQ reiterated its commitment to maintaining high standards of information security. The aim is to ensure that Nigerians consistently receive accurate and timely information regarding the activities and operations of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The public's understanding and vigilance are appreciated, and further updates will be provided as necessary.

The Defence Headquarters assures the public that efforts are ongoing to fully restore control of the official account. Consequently, members of the public are advised to disregard any suspicious, unauthorised or misleading content that may be posted from the account during this period.

— Major General Samaila UbaWarning the public about potential misinformation from the compromised account and assuring them of restoration efforts.

To ensure continuity of communication, the DHQ advised the public to rely on its verified accounts on other platforms. These include its Facebook page under the name "Defence Headquarters Nigeria," its Instagram account @defenceheadquarters, and its WhatsApp Channel, "Defence Headquarters Nigeria."

We appreciate the understanding and vigilance of the public and will provide further updates as necessary.

— Major General Samaila UbaConcluding the statement by thanking the public and promising further communication.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog