Welcome

Police Arrest Ifechukwu Dennis Over AI-Generated Fake Tinubu Voice Note Circulation

Written by

Promise Odejide

in

The Nigerian Police Force has arrested Ifechukwu Dennis, identified as the alleged originator of an AI-generated voice note falsely circulated online as a recording of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The arrest was confirmed on Thursday by the Presidency, following a week-long controversy that spread across social media platforms.

Presidency Confirms Arrest

Presidential Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced the arrest in a post on his official X account, stating that the suspect was apprehended in Benin by an IGP crack team.

“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,” Onanuga said.

He added that the Nigeria Police Force would release an official statement on the development.

How the Controversy Began

The incident traces back to May 27, 2026, when a video involving social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, began circulating widely online.

In the clip, an AI-generated voice resembling President Tinubu was used to make a series of controversial claimed., including allegations about insecurity in the South-East, claims that Peter Obi was pressured to withdraw from the 2023 presidential race, and statements suggesting indifference to national hardship.

The recording triggered widespread reactions before investigations revealed that the audio had been artificially inserted into the original content.

Investigation Clears VeryDarkMan

Media investigations later showed that VeryDarkMan did not post or author the manipulated voice note. According to findings, an unidentified individual extracted footage from his Instagram video and superimposed the AI-generated audio before recirculating it online.

Fact-checking reports confirmed that the original video contained no such statements.

Presidency Reacts Amid Backlash

Despite clarification from investigators, the Presidency initially called for action against those responsible for the viral recording.

Onanuga had described the situation as “a clear case of egregious abuse of the social media platform,” a statement that later drew public criticism after fact-checkers cleared the activist of involvement in the fabricated audio.

The arrest now shifts attention to ongoing investigations into the creation and spread of AI-generated misinformation and its implications for digital content regulation in Nigeria.

 

More posts