The official Twitter account of Nigeria's Defence Headquarters, @DHQNigeria, was compromised on August 15, raising significant concerns about the security of government social media platforms. The breach, which lasted for several hours, was brought to light by Bashir Ahmad, a former aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, who urged the Defence Intelligence Agency to act swiftly to regain control of the account.

Ahmad highlighted the seriousness of the situation in a post on his own Twitter account, noting that the military's official communication channel had been taken over by unauthorized individuals. During the period of the hack, the account's profile picture was removed, and a series of irregular and inappropriate posts began to appear, which did not align with the expected official communications from the military.

A verification check by Legit.ng confirmed the account's compromised status, with the timeline displaying posts that raised alarms among followers. The Defence Headquarters account is a critical source for operational updates, press statements, and security briefings, making its security paramount.

In his urgent call for action, Ahmad specifically pointed to the Defence Intelligence Agency as the appropriate body to intervene and restore the account. As of the latest reports, the agency has not publicly commented on the incident, leaving many to question the effectiveness of cybersecurity measures in place for Nigeria's military and government social media accounts.

This incident comes on the heels of another concerning event, where the official X account of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) vanished from the platform entirely. The EFCC's account, which boasted 2.2 million followers, became inaccessible just a day prior to the Defence Headquarters breach, further highlighting vulnerabilities in the cybersecurity landscape of Nigeria's governmental institutions.

The hacking of such significant accounts underscores the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity protocols to protect sensitive information and maintain public trust in the country's military and governmental agencies. As the situation develops, many are calling for immediate action to prevent future breaches and to secure the integrity of Nigeria's official online communications.