By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini
The Nigerian Federal Government has expressed concern over the creation and circulation of deepfake videos depicting the President in a negative light, aimed at tarnishing his reputation.
Mohammed Idris, Nigeria’s Minister of Information, cautioned citizens against using artificial intelligence to manipulate images and videos of the country’s leaders for malicious purposes.
In a report by The Nation, an independent newspaper, the minister stated, “We have observed the use of AI-generated content in both appropriate and inappropriate ways. Imagine sitting somewhere, and someone takes your image, edits it onto another body, and spreads it to damage your reputation.”
He further noted the trend of distorting statements made by the President or other officials, saying, “We’ve seen situations where the President’s words are twisted to mean something entirely different, or where a minister’s statement is misrepresented.”
The minister assured that the government is closely monitoring the situation, emphasizing, “We are exploring ways to sanitize social media platforms without infringing on freedom of speech.”
The warning comes amid growing global concerns over the misuse of AI to spread disinformation and manipulate public perception.