Army recovers X account after after hack attempt

Politics Spice Special Features Education Sex & Relationship Interview Columns Opinion Advertise with us Army recovers X account after hack attempt News November 8, 2026 9:02 am By Gilbert Ekugbe Kindly share this story:

The Nigerian Army announced on Sunday that its official X account, @HQNigerianArmy, has been fully restored and is once again under exclusive official management.

In a brief post published on its X handle, the Army stated: “This account is fully restored and back under the official management of the Nigerian Army. We appreciate your patience and understanding.”

The announcement marks the end of a prolonged recovery process that began after an attempted cyber breach in late August.

On 29 August 2026, the Army detected unauthorised access attempts on the account around 5 pm.

The Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, confirmed at the time that the incident was being treated as a cybersecurity breach.

Immediate technical and protective measures were activated to secure the platform, prevent further unauthorised access, and protect the integrity of official communications.

During the period of restricted control, the Army advised the public and media to disregard any suspicious, misleading, or unverified content appearing on the account.

It directed Nigerians to rely on its other verified platforms, including Facebook and Instagram accounts under @hqnigerianarmy and @nigerianarmyinfo, the X handle @nigerianarmyinfo, and official YouTube channels, for authentic information.

The August incident followed a similar cyberattack on the Defence Headquarters’ X account (@DHQNigeria) earlier that month.

The DHQ account was recovered within days and announced its return with a short “WE’RE BACK” message.

With the restoration of @HQNigerianArmy now confirmed, the Army has reclaimed one of its primary channels for direct public communication on security operations and defence matters. The account remains the official verified handle of the Nigerian Army.

Gilbert Ekugbe is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over a decade of experience reporting on business and economic affairs. He covers markets, corporate developments, finance, and Nigeria’s broader economic landscape. His reporting is informed by extensive newsroom experience and a strong commitment to accuracy and responsible journalism, helping readers understand complex business issues.

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