Presidency warns against deepfake videos amid VDM controversy

The Presidency has raised alarm over what it described as a growing wave of coordinated disinformation campaigns involving deepfake videos and manipulated content targeted at President Bola Tinubu.

This comes amid recent online controversy involving a viral audio clip allegedly portraying the President and shared by social media critic Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, VDM.

The audio was claimed to have been AI-generated and has since sparked reactions as well as clashes online.

DAILY POST reports that the situation escalated after an X user, @Pious_minister, circulated claims suggesting that an AI-generated audio of the President was played in VDM’s video. The audio allegedly contained statements attributed to President Tinubu regarding insecurity and the 2023 election.

Reacting to the development, presidential aide Bayo Onanuga, in a post on his official X handle, said VDM must face the full weight of the law, describing the incident as a serious abuse of social media.

“This VDM needs to face the weight of the law for being the conveyor and disseminator of a fake audio of President Tinubu,” Onanuga wrote. “This is a clear case of an egregious abuse of the social media platform.”

In a separate statement issued by the Office of Digital Engagement & Strategy on Thursday, the government said recent online materials include a fabricated video with fake audio and false attributions, as well as another alleged deepfake involving a religious leader, were designed to “provoke religious tension and distort public perception”.

The statement read in full, “We are aware of yet another deliberate attempt to weaponise religion for politics across various online platforms.

“Yesterday, it was a manipulated video overlaid with fake audio and false attributions intended to portray President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a negative light through the use of an influencer’s identity. Today, it is another deepfake video falsely framed around a religious leader in a calculated attempt to provoke Muslims against the President.

“The pattern is becoming increasingly obvious.

“As the political season approaches, desperate actors will continue to manufacture outrage, distort faith, manipulate context, spread falsehoods, and push dangerous emotional bait across social media platforms and WhatsApp groups in an attempt to divide Nigerians for political gain.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has never hidden who he is. He is a Muslim. He is married to a Christian. He leads a multi religious nation built on constitutional freedom of worship, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence. His position has always been clear: Nigeria belongs to Christians, Muslims, and citizens of every faith and background who believe in peace, progress, and national unity.

“In his 2026 Lent and Ramadan message, President Tinubu reminded Nigerians that both Christianity and Islam share common values rooted in compassion, sacrifice, justice, peace, and love for humanity.

“Before sharing such inflammatory content, Nigerians must pause and ask one simple question: who benefits from setting citizens of different faiths against one another?

“This is not faith or patriotism. Neither is it politics. This is coordinated manipulation at scale.

“We urge citizens to reject divisive propaganda, verify information before sharing, and remain vigilant against attempts to destabilise national cohesion through digitally amplified disinformation.

“In line with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, including provisions relating to cybercrime, incitement, public mischief, and the malicious spread of false information capable of threatening public peace and national security, relevant cases and digital actors involved in such activities will be identified and reported to the appropriate authorities for investigation and necessary action.“