A message currently circulating on WhatsApp claims that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of Nigeria announced a plan to make military service compulsory for all Nigerians aged 18 and above if they refused to join voluntarily.
The post also alleges that the 10,000 recruits enlisted last year are “nowhere to be found.”
The same claim later appeared on Facebook, where it reportedly gathered over 7,000 likes, 5,000 comments, and more than 550 shares.
Nigeria’s current COAS is Waidi Shaibu, who assumed command as the 25th COAS on 30 October 2025.
What the Nigerian Army Says — The Claim Is False
The claim has been formally dismissed by the Army. In a statement issued by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Appolonia Anele, the Army described the viral post as a “malicious fabrication”.
The statement declared that:
- The COAS has never made any statement calling for forced or compulsory recruitment of youths. Vanguard News+2Nigeria News Today+2
- There is no plan to conscript citizens from age 18. PM News Nigeria+1
- The claim that 10,000 last-year recruits are “missing” is entirely unsubstantiated and unreported by any credible defence authority. Vanguard News+1
- Anyone spreading such false information to incite fear or cause unrest could be tracked, apprehended, and prosecuted. Vanguard News+1
Other Verification Steps And Findings
- No reputable media coverage: A wide survey of reputable Nigerian and international news outlets yields no report of any such announcement by the COAS.
- No visual or audio evidence: There is no credible image, video, or audio recording of the COAS making such a statement. Searches across video-sharing platforms and media archives produced nothing.
- Known misinformation patterns: The claim follows a common pattern seen in previous false or misleading posts: unverified statement, large-scale shareability, alarming message designed to provoke fear and confusion.
Conclusion
The claim that Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff threatened to forcefully recruit all youths aged 18 and above — and that thousands of recruits are missing — is false and misleading.
The Nigerian Army has officially denied the allegations, describing them as a deliberate attempt to misinform the public and cause unrest.
