The Presidency has raised concerns over what it described as an increasing spread of deepfake videos and manipulated online content allegedly targeted at using religion as a political weapon ahead of the coming election season.
The warning was issued on Thursday by the Office of Digital Engagement and Strategy through its official X account, where it accused unnamed actors of circulating fabricated materials aimed at discrediting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and creating division among Nigerians.
According to the Presidency, several misleading videos and false audio recordings have recently surfaced across social media platforms and messaging applications, particularly WhatsApp. It explained that the contents were carefully edited to provoke outrage, stir religious sentiments, and influence public perception against the President.
The statement specifically pointed to a recently circulated deepfake video allegedly linked to a religious leader, which it said was deliberately designed to incite Muslims against Tinubu.
It further disclosed that a similar incident had occurred earlier involving another manipulated video containing fake audio and false attribution, allegedly created to portray the President negatively by using the identity of a known influencer.
The Presidency described the trend as a coordinated misinformation campaign driven by “desperate actors” seeking to exploit religion and emotional narratives for political advantage as political activities begin to intensify across the country.
“As the political season approaches, desperate actors will continue to manufacture outrage, distort faith, manipulate context, spread falsehoods, and push dangerous emotional bait across social media platforms and WhatsApp groups in an attempt to divide Nigerians for political gain,” the statement read.
Reaffirming President Tinubu’s commitment to religious harmony and peaceful coexistence, the Presidency noted that the President is a Muslim married to a Christian and governs a multi-religious nation founded on constitutional freedom of worship and unity.
The statement also referenced Tinubu’s 2026 Easter and Ramadan messages, where he stressed the shared values between Christianity and Islam, including compassion, justice, sacrifice, peace, and love for humanity.
The Presidency urged Nigerians to exercise caution before sharing sensitive or inflammatory content online, advising citizens to verify information carefully and question the motives behind divisive narratives circulating on digital platforms.
Presidency Raises Alarm Over Deepfake Videos, Religious Manipulation Ahead of Elections
