The Presidency has raised concerns over what it described as coordinated attempts to use religion and manipulated digital content to create political tension ahead of the 2027 elections.
It made this known in a post issued on Thursday on its official X handle, which was signed by the Office of Digital Engagement and Strategy, State House.
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According to the Presidency, it had observed the circulation of manipulated and deepfake videos on social media and WhatsApp groups aimed at portraying President Bola Tinubu negatively and inciting religious division.
“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 framed around a religious leader in a calculated attempt to provoke Muslims against the President. 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,” the statement read.
The Presidency stressed that Tinubu had always maintained a position of religious tolerance and national unity
“President Bola Ahmed 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,” the statement said.
It added that the President’s position had consistently been that Nigeria belongs to citizens of all faiths and backgrounds committed to peace and national progress.
The statement also referenced Tinubu’s 2026 Lent and Ramadan message, where he emphasised shared values between Christianity and Islam, including compassion, justice, sacrifice, peace, and love for humanity.
The Presidency urged Nigerians to verify information before sharing content online and to reject attempts to create division through misinformation.
“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,” the statement added.
The Presideny warned that those spreading false and inflammatory digital content could face investigation under cybercrime and public safety laws.
“We urge citizens to reject divisive propaganda, verify information before sharing, and remain vigilant against attempts to destabilise national cohesion through digitally amplified disinformation.
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“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,” it added.