The Nigeria Police Force has arrested a suspect identified as Ifechukwu Dennis, alleged to be behind an AI-generated voice note falsely attributed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which recently went viral on social media.
The arrest was confirmed on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who disclosed the development in a post on his official X handle.
According to Onanuga, the suspect was apprehended by an Inspector-General of Police (IGP) crack team after being identified as the originator of the manipulated audio clip, which was circulated as an alleged “leaked recording” of the President.
He stated that the suspect allegedly passed the fabricated voice recording to unsuspecting members of the public, presenting it as the authentic voice of President Tinubu.
The controversy began on May 27, 2026, when a digitally altered video surfaced online featuring an AI-generated voice resembling that of President Tinubu. The voice in the clip reportedly made several controversial claims, including allegations about insecurity in the South-East being deliberate, claims of political pressure on former presidential candidate Peter Obi during the 2023 elections, and comments suggesting indifference to the hardship faced by Nigerians.
Investigations revealed that the viral content originated from a separate video posted on social media by activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM).
However, the original video reportedly contained no such audio, as the voice was later superimposed using artificial intelligence technology.
The manipulated clip was then widely shared across various social media platforms, sparking public concern and political reactions before fact-checkers confirmed that the audio had been fabricated.
Following the spread of the content, the Presidency initially called for the prosecution of VDM, describing the incident as a serious misuse of digital platforms and a case of misinformation capable of misleading the public.
However, the clarification that the original video did not contain the false audio later shifted focus toward the individuals responsible for creating and distributing the AI-generated voice.
The police have not yet released full details of the investigation but say further inquiries are ongoing to identify other individuals possibly involved in the production and circulation of the manipulated content.
Authorities have warned against the misuse of artificial intelligence tools for spreading misinformation, noting that such acts could have serious legal consequences and undermine public trust in information systems.
