IGP Crack Team Arrests Suspect Behind Fake Tinubu Audio

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) crack team has arrested a suspect identified as Ifechukwu Dennis over the creation and circulation of a fake audio recording falsely attributed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, authorities said on Thursday.

The development was disclosed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, via his official X handle, where he confirmed that the suspect was apprehended in Benin City.

According to Onanuga, Dennis allegedly generated the manipulated voice recording and passed it off to unsuspecting individuals as the authentic voice of President Tinubu in a bid to mislead and defraud members of the public.

“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,” he wrote, adding that the Nigeria Police Force would issue an official statement on the matter.

The fake audio incident had earlier triggered widespread reactions on social media, where some users questioned its authenticity while others shared it widely before it was eventually debunked by authorities.

The controversy also drew public attention due to the involvement of social media personality Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, who had engaged in commentary around the viral clip before security agencies began tracing its origin.

At the time, the Presidency dismissed the audio as fabricated, warning against what it described as deliberate attempts to mislead Nigerians and undermine public trust in official communication channels.

Police authorities are expected to provide further details as investigations continue, including possible charges and the extent of the suspect’s alleged network.

The Nigeria Police Force has repeatedly warned that the spread of false information targeting public officials constitutes a criminal offence and will be prosecuted under relevant cybercrime laws.