DHQ warns politicians against using military visuals for campaign

By Adeleye Kunle

The Defence Headquarters on Wednesday cautioned supporters of political parties and the media to desist from misusing images and visuals of military personnel.

It said the use of such unauthorised military wares does not only present the Armed Forces of Nigeria in bad light, but sows seeds of distrust and instability.

Director, Defence Information, Major General Jimmy Akpor, in a statement on Wednesday, said the video contents which is currently in circulation, sent a disturbing signal to members of the public and the political class in particular, as they seemingly connote partisanship by military personnel and by extension, the entire military establishment.

According to him, unknown individuals, took the video and superimposed different songs on the visuals, which soon went viral, thereby creating the odious impression that soldiers were promoting the candidacy of a particular politician while disapproving the other.

“Of the two video clips; one consciously portrays troops making merry and dancing to music purportedly in celebration and open endorsement of one presidential candidate in the forthcoming elections.

“The second video clip (with the same visuals as the first one) willfully shows troops supposedly dancing to a derogatory song that insults the personality of another presidential candidate,” he said