The Nigerian Presidency has launched a targeted offensive against the spread of online disinformation, announcing the arrest of two individuals accused of orchestrating campaigns to undermine national security and public trust.

In a statement issued Thursday, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, confirmed that a crack team from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has apprehended Ifechukwu Dennis in Benin City.

Authorities identified Dennis as the primary source behind a manipulated audio recording that had been circulating on social media, in which he attempted to pass off his own voice as that of President Bola Tinubu.

In a separate enforcement action, the police also arrested an unnamed individual for creating and disseminating a "reckless and alarming" post regarding the security situation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The Presidency stated that this post was intentionally designed to incite fear and panic among residents of Abuja.

The arrests serve as a sharp warning from the administration that the era of unfettered online misinformation may be coming to an end. Onanuga emphasized that these actions represent a broader strategy to hold individuals accountable for their digital footprint.

 "The police have sent the clear message that reckless users of social media won’t go scot-free," Onanuga noted, signaling that the government is actively monitoring platforms for content deemed harmful to the state or its leadership.

These developments follow a period of heightened sensitivity within the Presidential Villa regarding the circulation of audio leaks.

Last week, the Presidency publicly targeted popular social media influencer

Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM) calling for his prosecution after he shared the controversial audio clip. However, the government's narrative faced a setback when it was later discovered that VDM was not the original creator of the audio, but had merely shared it.

The Nigeria Police Force is expected to release a comprehensive statement in the coming days as investigators continue to trace the networks behind these digital provocations.