Posted by Chinenye on Thu 16th Jul, 2026 - tori.ng
A controversial video that sparked public debate has resurfaced in the Senate after lawmakers discussed their initial reaction to the footage.
(Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Photo by Premuim times)
Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Thursday jokingly brought up the viral video purportedly showing a man massaging a woman's leg aboard a private jet, explaining that the Senate initially dismissed the footage as artificial intelligence-generated content.
Speaking during Thursday's plenary session, in a clip shared by AIT, Akpabio said he would have raised the matter earlier had it not been for the belief that the footage showing one of the senators in what appeared to be a plane, massaging a woman's leg, was AI-generated.
His comment drew laughter from lawmakers present, including Akpabio himself.
He recalled that Senator Lalong had approached him with security information regarding the matter, but that it had been dismissed at the time due to assumptions that it was artificial intelligence content.
Akpabio noted, however, that the Senate remains open to revisiting the issue if fresh, verifiable evidence emerges, adding that a petition on the matter is currently before the chamber and could be examined further if the footage proves not to be AI-generated.
Akpabio's remarks referenced a video that went viral in early February 2026, appearing to show a man resembling the senator representing Edo North Senatorial District seated in what looked like a private jet, with a woman resting her legs on his lap while he appeared to touch or massage them.
The clip triggered widespread backlash and ridicule amid Nigeria's ongoing economic difficulties, with critics questioning the optics for a serving public official.
Some commentators also linked the controversy to earlier remarks made by Senator Adams Oshiomhole on rising food prices.
Responding to the viral video, Oshiomhole, through his media aide Oseni Momodu, denied its authenticity, describing it as a poorly made, artificially generated and fabricated clip intended to blackmail and embarrass him.
His camp condemned its circulation as a form of cyberbullying, urged the public to verify online content before sharing it, and said efforts were underway to identify those responsible for creating it.
Although Oshiomhole maintained that the footage was fabricated, his team did not present independent forensic evidence to substantiate the AI claim, while some fact-checking efforts raised questions over whether the video showed clear signs of manipulation.
𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎: 𝐀𝐤𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐨 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐎𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐦𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐥 ‘𝐀𝐈’ 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐉𝐞𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐠 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨
— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) July 16, 2026
Credit: X | AIT pic.twitter.com/byitd73Iin