Presidency announces arrest of suspect linked to fake Tinubu audio fraud

The Presidency has announced the arrest of a suspect allegedly linked to the circulation of a fake AI-generated audio message purportedly featuring President Bola Tinubu’s voice.

Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed the development in a post on his official Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) accounts on Thursday, June 4, 2026, stating that the suspect was apprehended by a crack team of the Inspector-General of Police in Benin City, Edo State. According to Onanuga, the suspect has been identified as Ifechukwu Dennis. He also noted that the Nigeria Police Force would issue an official statement providing further details of the investigation and arrest. “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,” Onanuga wrote on X.

The AI-generated voice notes falsely attributed to President Tinubu went viral on social media starting May 27, 2026. The manipulated clip, which was overlaid onto a video of social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM) , contained several inflammatory statements that sparked widespread outrage and concern. The fake audio falsely claimed that President Tinubu deliberately allowed insecurity to persist in parts of the country for political reasons. It also alleged that the president had asked former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi to step down in his favour ahead of the 2023 presidential election and threatened to worsen insecurity in the South-East. “I’ve begged Peter Obi to step down for me. He refused. Now I will make sure the insecurity affects only South East,” the voice note claimed. The audio sparked widespread reactions on social media, with many users initially believing it to be an authentic leaked recording of the President. However, government officials quickly rejected the authenticity of the recording, insisting that it was deliberately created using artificial intelligence technology to mislead the public and damage the image of the President.

Presidential media aide Bayo Onanuga had initially shared the AI video and threatened legal action against VDM, describing the incident as “a clear case of egregious abuse of the social media platform.” In a post at the time, Onanuga wrote: “This VDM needs to face the weight of the law for being the conveyor and disseminator of a fake audio of President Tinubu.” However, subsequent investigations and fact-checks by multiple media organisations established that VDM had not posted the doctored audio. Premium Times reported that the newspaper fact-checked the voice notes and found that an unknown person had manipulated them, further establishing that the voice notes didn’t originate from VDM’s original video. Reports indicated that an unidentified individual had extracted footage from VDM’s original Instagram video and superimposed the AI-generated voice notes before recirculating the manipulated version online, creating the false impression that the activist had shared or endorsed the content. Despite reports that the manipulated audio did not originate from VDM, the Presidency had initially called for his prosecution, a position that attracted criticism after fact-checkers confirmed that VDM’s original video contained none of the fabricated audio. The arrest of Ifechukwu Dennis has now shifted attention to the individual police believe originated the fake voice recording before it was circulated online.

The arrest has sparked widespread reactions on social media, with many Nigerians questioning the priorities of security agencies amid rising insecurity across the country. Many netizens expressed concern that security agencies appeared to have acted more swiftly in tracking the creator of a fake audio than in apprehending kidnappers and bandits responsible for recent attacks across the country. Reacting to the announcement, a Facebook user, Akeodi Ali wrote, “What about the kidnappers on TikTok?” Another commenter, Araba Yemi Banjo, criticised the celebration of the arrest in the face of the country’s worsening security challenges. “Sir, in all that is happening in this country, is this what you can gloat about? One would have expected you to be showcasing arrested kidnappers who for over two weeks held innocent schoolchildren hostage in an evil forest. But alas you are here, sir, massaging the ego of your benefactor who has failed to perform his duty,” Banjo wrote. Also reacting, Chidubem Ukamaka compared the speed of the arrest to the response against kidnappers who have openly posted videos online. “He was tracked down and arrested before the bandits posting videos on TikTok… We are taking notes,” the commenter wrote. In a similar vein, Abdulrahman Isah questioned why the suspect was located before those responsible for recent mass abductions of students in parts of the country. “So he has been tracked before the Oyo bandits. Una weldone Mr spokesperson,” he wrote. For Daramola Stephen, the announcement raised further questions: “This is ridiculous, why can’t the crack team crack the people behind the Oriire kidnap?”

Onanuga also revealed that another individual was arrested over a social media post that allegedly raised false security concerns about Abuja, saying the action underscored the consequences of spreading unverified information capable of causing public panic. “The police have also arrested this Nigerian who made an alarming post about Abuja’s security, spreading fear among citizens. By arresting him, the police have sent the clear message that reckless users of the social media won’t go free,” Onanuga stated. The presidential spokesman stressed that security agencies are committed to tackling the spread of false content capable of undermining public confidence and order. He noted that the arrests demonstrate the determination of law enforcement agencies to hold individuals accountable for the reckless use of social media platforms.

The incident has reignited concerns about the growing use of artificial intelligence to create realistic deepfake content capable of misleading the public and influencing political discourse. 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 arrest has also raised questions about the earlier accusations directed at VeryDarkMan, with critics arguing that the emergence of a new suspect appears to contradict initial claims about the source of the audio. The case has reignited debate over misinformation, digital manipulation and the risks posed by AI-generated content, particularly when public figures are wrongly implicated before investigations are concluded.

As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force was yet to issue any formal statement providing further details about the arrest, possible charges, or the next steps in the investigation. According to the Presidency, the police will release an official statement detailing the allegations against Dennis and the findings of their investigation. 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. Further details regarding the circumstances surrounding Dennis’s arrest and the charges he may face were not immediately available at the time of this report. 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.