President Bola Tinubu's special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, recently called for the prosecution of social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as Very Dark Man (VDM). This followed the circulation of an audio call allegedly featuring the president, which was played in one of VDM's videos. However, a fact-check has confirmed that the audio was AI-generated and inserted into VDM's video by an unknown individual.
How the AI-Generated Audio Was Created
According to BBC Pidgin, VDM posted a video on Instagram on Monday, May 25, 2026. In the video, he played a clip of another influencer, King Mitchy, who was referring to him and his necklace. After that, VDM played a video of President Tinubu, in which the president allegedly said that Nigerians should not vote for him for a second term if he did not fix the country's electricity. Before playing the Tinubu video, VDM said: 'You see dis next video wey I wan play, I go come know weda dem don cook your mind, una wey wan support Bola Tinubu.'
However, the person who created the fake audio picked a VDM video and added the AI-generated voice of President Tinubu to make it appear as if the activist was promoting the audio. In the AI-generated audio, Tinubu reportedly said: 'Dem dey try comot me from dis position, dat no possible. Mind you, I go win dis election, I no care wetin dey happun, Nigeria deserve am becos wen I dey run as President, dem no want me, but now all of a sudden, dem want make I rescue dem from insecurity.'
The AI-generated voice note also alleged that the president called Peter Obi to step down for him in the 2027 presidential election, but Obi declined. It further claimed that Tinubu would ensure that insecurity in the country affects the southeast region more severely.
Presidency's Reaction
Reacting to the audio, the presidency stated that Very Dark Man needs to face the weight of the law. The presidency shared the fake audio on its social media page, describing it as a clear case of abuse of social media platforms. Bayo Onanuga, the president's special adviser, reiterated the call for prosecution.
VDM's Legal Team Responds
In response, VeryDarkMan's legal team, Deji Adeyanju & Partners, denied any involvement in creating or circulating the audio. They described the recording as doctored and falsely connected to their client. The legal team maintained that a review of VDM's verified social media pages would show that he neither created nor circulated the audio. They called on security agencies to investigate those responsible for the recording.
Conclusion
The fact-check confirms that the voice note of President Tinubu in VDM's video was AI-generated and not authentic. The presidency's call for prosecution may be misdirected, as VDM's legal team insists their client had no role in the creation or distribution of the fake audio. The incident highlights the growing concern over AI-generated misinformation on social media.
