Oluwafunbi Bello 
GMI National Coordinator, Samaila Musa
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Grassroots Mobilisation Initiative (GMI) has warned that the growing misuse of artificial intelligence to create fake news, forged documents and deepfake videos pose a significant threat to Nigeria’s security and social cohesion.
The organisation said advances in digital technology are making it easier for malicious actors to spread misinformation capable of inciting violence, eroding public trust and destabilising communities.
In a statement issued on Friday, GMI National Coordinator, Samaila Musa, expressed concern over the increasing sophistication of disinformation campaigns.
“What we are seeing today goes beyond the casual circulation of rumours. Artificial intelligence is now being used to clone voices, forge official documents and produce convincing deepfake videos of political, religious and community leaders,” Musa said.
He warned that manipulated audio and video content, especially materials distributed in local languages, could inflame ethnic and religious tensions.
According to him, misinformation targeting security agencies and military operations could weaken public confidence and affect the morale of personnel engaged in counter-insurgency efforts.
“The circulation of false military casualty figures doctored operational footage and fabricated allegations against security agencies only benefits criminal elements and undermines national security,” he stated.
GMI also cautioned that digital disinformation is increasingly being weaponised to exploit existing social divisions and trigger communal unrest.
“A damaged economy can recover, but a society fractured by misinformation, hatred and violence becomes far more difficult to rebuild,” Musa warned.
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Korede Abdullah 