The Presidency has accused unnamed political actors of running a coordinated disinformation campaign to incite religious division and discredit President Bola Tinubu ahead of 2027.
In a statement on Thursday, the Office of Digital Engagement and Strategy said manipulated videos and false narratives are circulating on social media and WhatsApp groups to portray the President negatively and provoke Nigerians along religious lines.
The office said one doctored clip used fake audio and false attributions to target the President through the identity of an influencer. It added that a new deepfake video involving a religious leader has also surfaced in what it called a deliberate attempt to turn Muslims against Tinubu.
“We are aware of yet another deliberate attempt to weaponise religion for politics across various online platforms,” the statement read.
The Presidency said the pattern is becoming clear as the election season approaches. It warned that desperate actors will keep manufacturing outrage, distorting faith, and spreading falsehoods to divide citizens for political gain.
It stressed that Tinubu has never hidden his religious identity. “He is a Muslim. He is married to a Christian. He leads a multi religious nation built on constitutional freedom of worship, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence,” the office said.
The statement cited the President’s 2026 Lent and Ramadan message, which highlighted shared values between Christianity and Islam including compassion, justice, peace, and love for humanity.
The Presidency urged Nigerians to verify content before sharing and asked who benefits from setting people of different faiths against each other. It warned that individuals spreading harmful disinformation could face legal action under laws covering cybercrime, incitement, and threats to public peace and national security.
