The Presidency has threatened legal action against social media commentator Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), over an alleged AI-generated audio linked to President Bola Tinubu.
The warning came on Wednesday through the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the Presidency, the audio falsely presented President Tinubu as making controversial comments about insecurity in the South-East, World Bank loans, and the 2027 election.
Onanuga accused VDM of spreading fake content capable of misleading the public and damaging the President’s image.
“This VDM needs to face the weight of the law for being the conveyor and disseminator of a fake audio of President Tinubu. This is a clear case of an egregious abuse of the social media platform,” Onanuga wrote on X.
The controversial audio reportedly carried signs of AI voice cloning technology. The voice in the clip allegedly mimicked Tinubu while making sensitive political statements.
Some of the statements in the audio claimed that insecurity in the South-East was deliberate. The voice also allegedly suggested that World Bank loans were being used to fund elections.
In a video shared online, VDM asked his followers to listen to the clip and judge its authenticity themselves.
After playing the audio, he criticised Tinubu’s leadership and argued that Nigerians should consider other options ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
However, checks later showed that the alleged audio was not directly available in VDM’s videos.
The development has increased concerns over the growing use of artificial intelligence to create fake political content in Nigeria.
Recently, the Coalition for Ethical Technology and Democratic Integrity called on the Federal Government to criminalise AI-generated blackmail and deepfake content.
The group warned that fake AI materials could threaten public trust and affect the credibility of the 2027 elections.
Earlier, the Federal Government also warned Nigerians against fake AI-generated adverts that used Tinubu’s image to promote fraudulent investment schemes online.
Nigeria’s Cybercrime Act, amended in 2024, criminalises the distribution of false digital information designed to damage reputations or mislead the public. Offenders may face serious legal penalties, including imprisonment.
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