The Presidency has confirmed the arrest of a man accused of creating and circulating an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated audio clip that falsely portrayed the voice of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a viral social media video linked to social media critic, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VDM or VeryDarkMan.
The suspect, identified as Ifechukwu Dennis, was reportedly arrested in Benin City by a special police team following investigations into the controversial audio recording that sparked widespread reactions on social media.
The development was disclosed on Thursday by President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, through a post on his Facebook page.
According to Onanuga, the suspect was apprehended by an Inspector-General of Police (IGP) crack team after investigators traced the source of the audio clip that was circulated online as the voice of President Tinubu.
He wrote: “The IGP crack team has arrested Ifechukwu Dennis who originated the fake voice that he passed on to his gullible targets as President Tinubu’s voice. Dennis was arrested in Benin. The police will issue an official statement.”
The arrest comes weeks after a video involving popular social media influencer and activist Martins Vincent Otse generated significant controversy across various online platforms.
The video contained an audio recording alleged to be the voice of President Tinubu. However, government officials later claimed that the audio was fabricated using artificial intelligence technology and did not originate from the President.
The Presidency had strongly rejected the authenticity of the recording, insisting that it was deliberately created to mislead the public and damage the image of the President.
At the height of the controversy, Onanuga publicly condemned the circulation of the clip and warned that legal action could be taken against those involved in producing and spreading the material.
The incident reignited concerns over the growing use of artificial intelligence tools to create fake audio and video content, commonly referred to as “deepfakes.” Such technology can imitate the voices and appearances of public figures, making it difficult for ordinary citizens to distinguish between genuine and manipulated content.
In Nigeria, concerns over misinformation and fake news have grown sharply in recent years as social media platforms become a major source of information for millions of people. Government agencies, civil society groups and technology experts have frequently urged citizens to verify information before sharing it online.
The controversy surrounding the VDM video attracted widespread attention because of the popularity of both President Tinubu and VeryDarkMan, who has built a large following on social media through his commentary on political and social issues.
While details of the police investigation have not yet been made public, the Presidency’s announcement suggests that security agencies are treating the matter as a serious case involving digital manipulation and the spread of false information.
As of Thursday night, the Nigeria Police Force had not released an official statement providing further details about the arrest, possible charges or the next steps in the investigation.
However, observers expect the case to draw attention to the need for stronger regulations and public awareness regarding the use of artificial intelligence technologies in Nigeria.
The arrest also highlights the increasing efforts by law enforcement agencies to track and prosecute individuals involved in the creation and dissemination of misleading digital content.
With the suspect now in police custody, attention is expected to shift to the outcome of the investigation and whether additional persons linked to the production or circulation of the disputed audio clip will be identified.
For now, the Presidency maintains that the recording was entirely fabricated and has welcomed the arrest as a significant step toward addressing the spread of false information online.