The Presidency has raised fresh concerns over what it described as a coordinated attempt by political actors to exploit religion and spread false narratives ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the Office of Digital Engagement and Strategy, the Presidency accused unnamed politicians of deploying manipulated digital content, fake narratives and religious sentiment to stir division and weaken national cohesion.
According to the statement, recent incidents involving altered videos and fabricated audio clips point to an emerging pattern of politically motivated disinformation targeted at President Bola Tinubu.
“We are aware of yet another deliberate attempt to weaponise religion for politics across various online platforms,” the statement said.
“Yesterday, it was a manipulated video overlaid with fake audio and false attributions intended to portray President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a negative light through the use of an influencer’s identity. Today, it is another deepfake video falsely framing a religious leader in a calculated attempt to provoke Muslims against the president.”
The Presidency warned that as political activities gather momentum toward 2027, Nigerians should expect intensified campaigns of misinformation designed to inflame religious emotions and create political instability.
“The pattern is becoming increasingly obvious. 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,” it stated.
Defending Tinubu’s position on religious inclusion, the Presidency said the President had always maintained a clear commitment to peaceful coexistence in Nigeria’s multi-faith environment.
“President Bola Tinubu has never hidden who he is. 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.
“His position has always been clear: Nigeria belongs to Christians, Muslims and citizens of every faith and background who believe in peace, progress and national unity.”
The statement also referenced Tinubu’s 2026 Lent and Ramadan message, noting that the President had emphasised the shared moral foundations of Christianity and Islam, including compassion, sacrifice, justice and peace.
The Presidency urged Nigerians to scrutinise inflammatory content before circulating it online.
“Before sharing such inflammatory content, Nigerians must pause and ask one simple question: who benefits from setting citizens of different faiths against one another? This is not faith or patriotism. Neither is it politics. This is coordinated manipulation at scale,” it said.
It further warned that individuals found spreading harmful falsehoods capable of threatening public peace or national security would face legal consequences.
“In line with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, including provisions relating to cybercrime, incitement, public mischief and the malicious spread of false information capable of threatening public peace and national security, relevant cases and digital actors involved in such activities will be identified and reported to the appropriate authorities for investigation and necessary action.”
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