Nigerian Army warns of AI-manipulated video alleging weapons plan
A digitally manipulated video with false allegations of a coordinated weapons plan targeting Nigeria's South-East region circulated on social media. The Nigerian Army formally condemned the misinformation as a calculated attempt to incite ethnic disaffection and reported that security agencies were investigating the perpetrators.
What happened
A misleading video with digitally manipulated voiceover content circulated on social media platforms alleging that the Federal Government, in collaboration with South-East and Northern governors, planned to transport weapons through airports to attack South-East residents.
The Nigerian Army's 82 Division Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Ayeni, issued a statement on June 24, 2025, describing the claims as 'entirely deceptive' and 'a calculated attempt to incite disaffaction among ethnic groups in the country.'
Reported impact
The deliberate misinformation was designed to instil fear and cause public anxiety among residents of the South-East region.
Index analysis
The video was identified as an old and misleading voiceover video that was re-circulating on social media, with the false allegation concerning a coordinated weapons transport plan targeting the South-East.
Governance controls
The Nigerian Army warned residents to be cautious of digitally manipulated voice and video content and urged them to rely only on accurate and verified information from credible sources. Relevant security agencies were reported to be on the trail of the perpetrators.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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