Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has confirmed the arrest of the individual responsible for creating the viral AI-generated voice notes of the president. In a statement posted on his social media pages on Thursday, Onanuga identified the suspect as Ifechukwu Dennis and stated that he was apprehended in Benin, Edo State.
Arrest and Investigation
Onanuga described the development as part of ongoing efforts to curb misinformation and politically motivated disinformation. 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."
Background of the Fake Voice Notes
The AI-generated voice notes falsely attributed to President Tinubu claimed that he deliberately allowed insecurity to persist in parts of the country for political reasons. The altered audio also falsely alleged that the president asked former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi to step down in his favour ahead of the forthcoming presidential election. In the voice notes, the person threatened to worsen insecurity in the South-east.
Earlier, Onanuga had accused activist Martins "VeryDarkMan (VDM)" Otse of creating the voice notes in an X post, calling for his prosecution. However, investigations later established that VDM did not create the voice notes, leading to criticism against Onanuga. Premium Times fact-checked the voice notes and found that an unknown person had manipulated them, and they did not originate from VDM's original video.
Ongoing Efforts Against Misinformation
The arrest of Ifechukwu Dennis marks a significant step in the fight against misinformation and disinformation in Nigeria. The police are expected to issue an official statement regarding the case. Authorities continue to emphasize the importance of verifying information before sharing it, especially in the context of political discourse.
