Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North Senatorial District, has dismissed as fake a viral video circulating on social media that appears to show him massaging the leg or foot of a woman aboard a private jet.
The video, which has sparked widespread online reactions, emerged amid public criticism over the senator’s recent remark that food prices in Nigeria had become “too cheap,” a comment many Nigerians found insensitive given prevailing economic pressures.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his media office, signed by Embassy-Oseni Momodu, Oshiomhole described the footage as a fabricated, AI-generated video designed to damage his reputation.
The statement said the clip shows signs of digital manipulation, pointing to inconsistencies beginning around the 0.6-second mark when the woman is seen boarding an aircraft, compared with the rest of the footage.
According to the media office, the video does not depict any real incident involving the senator and should be disregarded.
The statement also criticised the circulation of the video by some online platforms, accusing them of spreading unverified content. It described the episode as cyberbullying and said steps had been taken to identify those responsible for producing and publishing the footage.
The office urged the public to verify content before sharing allegations against public officials, noting the growing prevalence of manipulated digital media on social platforms.
It added that while Senator Oshiomhole supports lawful content creation, there is a need for stronger regulation to curb the misuse of digital tools.
Before the denial, the video had attracted commentary from public figures including Omoyele Sowore and social media commentator Martin Otse, who criticised what they described as a disconnect between the senator’s public statements on food prices and his perceived lifestyle.
The clip reportedly first appeared on TikTok, was deleted by the original uploader, and was then reshared on X and Instagram.
Online discussions later claimed the woman in the video was a South African content creator, with reports that related posts were briefly shared and then removed.
As of the time of reporting, no independent verification of the footage has been confirmed.
