Human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, has slammed the presidency over its failure to properly verify a fake audio of President Bola Tinubu edited into the video of social media critic, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM).
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had accused VDM of spreading false content on social media.
Onanuga described the circulation of the audio as an abuse of social media and said VDM should face the law.
In a statement via his 𝕏 handle on Wednesday, titled, ‘Statement on False Attribution and Circulation of Doctored Audio Purportedly Linked to Mr. Martins Vincent Otse (VeryDarkMan)’, Adeyanu said the viral video is not on any social media platform of VDM.
Adeyanju said it is surprising that, despite the resources available to the Presidency, adverse comments were made concerning VDM without proper verification of the facts.
According to him, the presidency’s threat further validates VDM’s longstanding concerns about attempts by powerful people in government to cage him.
The statement read, “The attention of our client has been drawn to the statement made by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, concerning a doctored audio currently circulating online and falsely attributed to our client, Mr. Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan. A simple verification of our client’s verified social media platforms would have confirmed that he neither made nor shared the said audio.
“It is therefore surprising that, despite the resources available to the Presidency, adverse comments were made concerning our client without proper verification of the facts. This development further validates our client’s longstanding concerns regarding attempts to cage him by powerful people in government and discredit him on account of his outspoken views on matters of public interest. We accordingly call on the relevant security agencies to investigate the source and circulation of the doctored audio and ensure that those responsible are identified and dealt with in accordance with the law.”