Defence Headquarters Warns Public After X Account Breach Attempt

Nigeria's Defence Headquarters detected unauthorized access to its official X account and activated security measures to restore control of the platform.
The Defence Headquarters has alerted Nigerians to an attempted breach of its official X account, according to a statement released Saturday by Major General Samaila Uba, the Director of Defence Information. The military command confirmed that it detected the unauthorized access attempt and classified the incident as a cybersecurity matter requiring immediate technical intervention.
In response to the breach, the DHQ activated security protocols to regain control of the account and prevent further unauthorized activity. The military body advised the public, media practitioners, and other stakeholders to disregard any suspicious, unauthorized, or misleading content that may appear on the account during the restoration period.
Major General Uba assured citizens that efforts were underway to fully restore legitimate access to the social media platform. The incident underscores the vulnerability of high-profile government accounts to cyber threats.
The X platform, formerly known as Twitter, remains a critical communication channel for Nigerian government agencies seeking to disseminate official information directly to the public. The Defence Headquarters indicated it would maintain alternative channels to provide verified updates while the compromised account was being secured.
The military did not disclose details about the nature of the breach, the identity of those responsible, or whether any sensitive information was extracted during the unauthorized access attempt. Major General Uba's statement specified that the technical measures had been put in place to secure the account and prevent similar incidents.
Sources
- Punch Newspapers — Defence headquarters X account hacked, DHQ warns public
- Nigerian Tribune — DHQ raises alarm over attempted hack of official X account
- Punch Newspapers — Hackers target DHQ social media account
- This Day — DHQ Raises Alarm as Hackers Compromise Its X Account







