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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

VIDEO: Akpabio teases Oshiomhole over viral ‘AI’ private jet leg massage video

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Senate President Godswill Akpabio jokingly referenced a viral video purportedly showing Senator Adams Oshiomhole massaging a woman's leg on a private jet.
  • Akpabio suggested the Senate initially dismissed the footage, believing it was generated by artificial intelligence.
  • Oshiomhole's aide previously denied the video's authenticity, calling it a fabricated AI-generated clip intended for blackmail.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio lightheartedly brought up a viral video allegedly showing Senator Adams Oshiomhole massaging a woman's leg aboard a private jet. During Thursday's plenary session, Akpabio joked that the Senate had initially disregarded the footage, assuming it was an AI-generated image. The comment drew laughter from lawmakers present.

Akpabio recounted a conversation with Senator Lalong, who informed him that the Senate had ignored the video because "we thought it was AI." He added that the Senate might reconsider the matter if new evidence emerged, stating, "But if you have another evidence, we have a petition before us, we can look into it if it’s not AI."

I don’t want to go outside of what we are doing… I would have asked a question when there was a picture showing one of our senators in a plane, massaging the leg of a girl.

— Godswill AkpabioThe Senate President referenced a viral video during a plenary session.

The video, which circulated widely in early February 2026, appears to depict a man resembling Senator Oshiomhole in a private jet with a woman resting her legs on his lap while he seemed to touch them. The footage sparked public criticism and mockery, particularly given Nigeria's economic challenges, with questions raised about the optics for a public official. Some critics linked the controversy to Oshiomhole's earlier comments on food prices.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, through his media aide Oseni Momodu, has vehemently denied the video's authenticity. His camp described it as a "poorly crafted, AI-generated, and fabricated video" designed to blackmail and embarrass him. They condemned its circulation as cyberbullying and stated efforts were underway to identify the perpetrators. While Oshiomhole's team insists the footage is fake, they have not provided independent forensic evidence to support the AI claim, and some fact-checks have questioned the video's apparent signs of manipulation.

But if you have another evidence, we have a petition before us, we can look into it if it’s not AI.

— Godswill AkpabioAkpabio suggested the Senate could investigate the video further if it is not AI-generated.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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