The Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, Kogi, Nigeria, has officially refuted a viral social media video purporting to show her endorsing a fraudulent investment opportunity. She urged Nigerians to disregard the clip, describing it as deliberately falsified by scammers aiming to mislead the public.
In a statement released on Sunday evening, the senator explained that the video is a manipulated excerpt from a previous interview she conducted with journalist Seun Okinbaloye. According to her, the footage has been doctored to promote a fake financial scheme, giving the impression that she supports it, when in fact it is entirely untrue.
Akpoti-Uduaghan emphasised that while the video may feature her likeness and voice, the material has been heavily altered and cannot be relied upon. “It has come to my attention that dishonest actors have edited and manipulated my earlier interview to promote a counterfeit investment platform. Though the video appears to show me and even uses my voice, it is entirely fabricated and misleading, designed to deceive people,” she stated.
The lawmaker cautioned the public against interacting with or investing in any schemes associated with the fake video. She advised citizens to remain alert and to treat the content as fraudulent, underscoring the importance of verifying the legitimacy of any financial offer before participation.
She also encouraged social media users to report the accounts or pages sharing the video so that it can be removed, preventing others from being victimised. Furthermore, she called on regulatory authorities and online platforms to take decisive action against the individuals responsible for distributing the falsified content.
Highlighting the increasing prevalence of digital scams, Akpoti-Uduaghan warned that public figures are often targeted by criminals who manipulate video, audio, and images, sometimes using artificial intelligence to lend credibility to fraudulent financial promotions. She stressed that these schemes exploit unsuspecting citizens and pose a serious risk to online safety.
The senator urged Nigerians to exercise heightened caution when engaging with digital platforms and to remain vigilant against attempts to exploit their trust. “Please stay alert, protect your information, and do not fall prey to online scams,” she added.
Her intervention comes amid a rising trend of cybercrime in which falsified media is used to deceive the public, often with the goal of financial gain. By addressing the issue, Akpoti-Uduaghan sought to raise awareness of the dangers of digital manipulation and to remind citizens of the need for careful scrutiny before acting on content encountered online.
Through her warning, the senator reinforced the necessity of protecting both personal finances and public trust, highlighting the broader threat posed by modern scams and the critical role of informed vigilance in safeguarding against digital fraud. Her message was a call to action for both the public and authorities to respond swiftly to prevent further exploitation and maintain integrity in online interactions.
