Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Denounces Malicious Deepfake Audio
Sen. Natasha Denies Authenticity of Circulated Audio, Accuses Voice Manipulation Scheme
In an unfolding digital manipulation scenario, Kogi Central's National Assembly representative, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has distanced herself from a viral audio clip falsely attributing incendiary remarks to her concerning crucial national figures.
On June 4, 2025, the senator released a strongly worded statement, denouncing the audio as a cleverly engineered fabrication utilizing voice cloning technology. In response to the clip, purportedly featuring her in a phone conversation with a journalist, Akpoti-Uduaghan dismissed it as a cunning strategy to sully her reputation and deceive the public.
"I've found myself confronted by a trending video online, supposedly capturing a conversation between me and a journalist.
"I unequivocally disown the video and audio recording. At no point did I grant such an interview, nor engage in that conversation. The voice is an unquestionable counterfeit, manufactured with malicious intent," she stated definitively.
This incident is not the first instance of digital wizardry being employed to wrongfully incriminate Akpoti-Uduaghan. Past instances involve manipulated audio clips attempting to portray her in conversations with prominent public figures.
"This is bound to a troubling pattern. I have encountered similar deceitful recordings earlier, none of which were genuine," she remarked.
Furthermore, she alleged that the supposedly culprits might have infiltrated her communications to make fake calls to prominent individuals, employing AI-generated voice simulations. Records indicate that the likes of Hon. Emmanuel Ekon, Minister of State for Health Dr. Tunji Alausa, Air Peace Chairman Chief Allen Onyema, and Minister of Women Affairs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye were among the targeted individuals.
Akpoti-Uduaghan clarified her lack of involvement in the alleged transmissions, assuring the public that the dubious attempts constitute criminal activities that should be addressed as a matter of national security concern.
Addressing the rising danger, Akpoti-Uduaghan cautioned against deluding the public and impeding genuine democratic discourse.
Natasha asserted, "This is a precisely targeted effort to mislead public opinion and silence legitimate voices in our democratized milieu. It is not just underhanded-it jeopardizes national unity and security."
She urged citizens to remain vigilant against disinformation, particularly in the age of rapid technological advancements that enable deepfakes and voice cloning.
Akpoti-Uduaghan's legal and security teams are actively investigating the matter to pinpoint the perpetrators. She concluded, "I am steadfast in promoting truth, justice, and responsible democratic engagement. I implore citizens to remain on guard and resist disinformation."
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As digital deception techniques become more sophisticated, state and federal regulations are progressing to safeguard voters from manipulated political content. Here are some key legal developments regarding AI-generated deepfakes:
State Regulations:
- Election-related deepfakes have received attention in 25 U.S. states through laws aimed at guarding voters from politically altered content. Bipartisan support forms the backbone of these regulations.[1]
- Minnesota: Forbids electoral deepfakes inside the 90-day election window if the creator lacks consent and intends to sway the election.[3]
- Arizona: Mandates public disclosure for AI-generated political material published within 90 days of an election.[3]
- Florida: Imposes criminal penalties on deepfakes, albeit its approach may encounter constitutional challenges.[3]
Federal Regulations:
- The TAKE IT DOWN Act: Signed into law on May 19, 2025, this act penalizes the publication of nonconsensual intimate imagery, including AI-generated deepfakes. It sets forth a "reasonable person" test to determine what entails nonconsensual intimate imagery, and imposes penalties extending up to three years in prison.[2][4]
Challenges and Future Directions:
- Uniform Disclosure: There's a growing call for uniform disclosure laws for AI-generated political content to ensure constitutional consistency while barring misinformation campaigns.[3]
- Federal vs. State Laws: States have been at the forefront of addressing election deepfakes; however, federal legislation has been slower to comprehensively regulate AI-generated content. The TAKE IT DOWN Act signifies a step toward federal control of AI-generated content.[1][2]
With growing technological advancements, more comprehensive regulations are expected to emerge as a means to combat future deception.
- Senior Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, is a key political figure in Nigeria who has recently denounced a malicious deepfake audio that falsely attributed inflammatory remarks to her about crucial national figures.
- Akpoti-Uduaghan has been a target of digital manipulation in the past, with manipulated audio clips attempting to portray her in conversations with prominent public figures such as Hon. Emmanuel Ekon, Minister of State for Health Dr. Tunji Alausa, Air Peace Chairman Chief Allen Onyema, and Minister of Women Affairs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye.
- In the evolving landscape of Nigerian politics and policy-and-legislation, Akpoti-Uduaghan's encounter with deepfakes highlights the need to address disinformation as a matter of national security concern.
- The Tinubu-led administration in Naija may consider implementing stricter regulations against politically-motivated deepfakes, following the federal TAKE IT DOWN Act, which penalizes the publication of nonconsensual intimate imagery, including AI-generated deepfakes. This could help combat digital deception techniques that threaten the integrity of general news and democratic elections.
