The Nigerian presidency has demanded action against social media influencer VeryDarkMan, popularly known as VDM, following the circulation of a manipulated video containing fake audio purportedly attributed to President Bola Tinubu.
The controversy erupted after a TikTok video surfaced online on May 27, featuring VDM with an AI-generated voiceover falsely claiming to be Tinubu speaking about insecurity, voting patterns, and opposition politician Peter Obi.
In the manipulated clip, the fake audio allegedly quoted Tinubu as saying Nigerians deserved insecurity because of how they voted and urging Obi to step aside politically.
However, investigations and fact-checks by media organisations including Premium Times and BBC Pidgin reportedly confirmed that the audio was fabricated using artificial intelligence tools and overlaid onto an unrelated original video posted by VDM on Instagram on May 25.
The authentic video had reportedly been VDM’s reaction to an older 2023 campaign statement in which Tinubu discussed electricity and governance promises.
Following the spread of the altered clip, presidential aide Bayo Onanuga publicly called for legal and regulatory action against VDM, accusing him of being responsible for disseminating false and dangerous political content.
Onanuga argued that the circulation of manipulated media could inflame tensions, spread misinformation, and undermine public trust.
In response, VDM rejected responsibility for creating the fake audio and accused government officials of attempting to scapegoat him despite widespread evidence that the audio was AI-generated by unknown individuals.
The influencer reportedly challenged authorities to arrest him if they believed he had committed an offence, while insisting he merely reacted to publicly available political material.
The incident has reignited concerns about the growing use of artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes in Nigerian politics, especially ahead of the 2027 elections.
Digital rights advocates and media analysts warn that AI-manipulated videos and audio clips could significantly worsen political misinformation, inflame ethnic or partisan tensions, and complicate efforts to verify authentic information online.
Observers say the controversy also highlights the increasing influence of social media personalities and online platforms in shaping Nigeria’s political discourse.
Experts have urged authorities, media organisations, and citizens to strengthen digital verification practices and improve public awareness regarding AI-generated misinformation.
The episode comes at a time of heightened political tensions in Nigeria, with insecurity, economic hardship, and growing opposition activity already dominating public debate ahead of the next election cycle.
