The Presidency has confirmed the arrest of a suspect accused of creating and circulating a fake audio recording that was falsely presented as the voice of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed on Thursday that operatives of the Nigeria Police Force apprehended the suspect, identified as Ifechukwu Dennis, following investigations into the controversial audio clip that recently went viral on social media.
According to Onanuga, the suspect was arrested by the Inspector-General of Police’s crack investigative team for allegedly originating and distributing the AI-generated voice note while falsely portraying it as an authentic recording of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The fake recording sparked widespread debate online after it surfaced on various social media platforms. The manipulated audio reportedly contained controversial statements attributed to the President on national security, the 2023 presidential election, and the welfare of Nigerians. Subsequent investigations, however, established that the recording was artificially generated using artificial intelligence technology.
The arrest comes amid growing concerns over the misuse of AI tools to create deceptive content capable of misleading the public and influencing political discourse. Authorities are expected to provide further details regarding the charges against the suspect and whether additional individuals were involved in the creation or dissemination of the doctored recording.
The Presidency has reiterated its commitment to combating misinformation and warned against the spread of manipulated digital content capable of undermining public trust and national security.
