The Presidency has confirmed the arrest of a suspect, Ifechukwu Dennis, for allegedly creating and circulating an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated audio falsely attributed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The controversial audio, which was attached to a manipulated video featuring social media critic Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), sparked widespread reactions and backlash across social media platforms.
Presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, had earlier drawn attention to the video, describing it as fake and warning that legal action could be taken against those responsible for its circulation.
Providing an update on the matter on Thursday night via his Facebook page, Onanuga disclosed that the suspect had been apprehended by a special police team in Benin City, Edo State.
“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 stated.
The arrest comes amid growing concerns over the misuse of artificial intelligence technology to create deceptive content capable of misleading the public and damaging reputations.
Authorities are expected to provide further details as investigations continue.
Comments