AI-driven fake news and deepfakes threaten Nigeria's national security, warns Grassroots Mobilisation Initiative
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
The Grassroots Mobilisation Initiative GMI has issued a warning that Nigeria faces potential new security challenges due to the increasing spread of AI-driven fake news, deepfakes, and digital disinformation. GMI National Coordinator Samaila Musa stated that the sophisticated use of technology to forge official documents, clone voices of public officials, and create convincing fake videos poses a serious threat to national security, social cohesion, and public trust. Musa highlighted that disinformation campaigns are becoming more coordinated and technologically advanced, making it difficult for citizens to distinguish genuine from fabricated content. He noted that Nigeria, already dealing with insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and communal conflicts, cannot afford the added burden of misinformation that could incite panic, violence, and distrust. The GMI specifically warned that manipulated videos and audio recordings, often circulated in local languages, are designed to mislead citizens, inflame tensions, and provoke violence. The organization also pointed out the dangerous impact of fake news on ongoing security operations, citing the circulation of false military casualty figures and doctored footage that can demoralize troops and undermine public confidence. Furthermore, GMI cautioned that disinformation is being weaponized to exploit Nigeria’s ethnic and religious diversity, with fabricated reports and misleading narratives potentially triggering reprisals and deepening
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