The viral video that appeared on social media on December 12, 2025, showing what seemed to be the Osisioma Flyover on the Enugu‑Port Harcourt Expressway crumble into a twisted wreck, was not a genuine disaster. Within hours a fact‑check published by the Abia state government and corroborated by independent investigators concluded that the footage was fabricated by AI, marking a stark example of AI misinformation in Nigeria.
Background and Context
Abia State, located in southeastern Nigeria, has long struggled with infrastructure maintenance. In recent years, road accidents and structural failures have made headlines, heightening public anxiety about the safety of the state’s expressways. The Enugu‑Port Harcourt Expressway, a critical artery for commerce, has, on multiple occasions, been the site of serious traffic incidents. This backdrop created a fertile ground for rumors to spread unchecked.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly advanced, particularly generative models capable of producing hyper-realistic images and videos. In Nigeria, where media literacy rates fluctuate, AI misinformation can spread quickly before verification mechanisms catch up. The incident at Osisioma Flyover therefore reflects both the technical capabilities of modern AI and a systemic vulnerability in the country’s information ecosystem.
Key Developments
Video Release and Immediate Viral Spread
On the evening of December 12, a short clip circulates across Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter. The footage shows a sudden collapse of the flyover, with debris cascading onto the motorway below. In the clip, ambulances rush toward a scene supposedly filled with injured and dead occupants. The video’s audio, a manipulated dramatization of emergency dispatch and paramedic chatter, added authenticity, leading thousands to comment “This is awful. Why didn’t the state issue a warning?”
Official Investigation and Fact‑Checking
Within 12 hours, Governor Alex Otti’s special adviser on media and publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, issued a public statement via the state’s official channels. “The flyover remains intact, and no incident has occurred,” the statement read. Ekeoma highlighted that investigative teams from the Abia State Ministry of Works, backed by the National Structural Engineering Association (NSEA), had conducted an on‑site assessment on December 13.
The NSEA inspectors, led by senior engineer Dr. Chinedu Obi, documented the flyover’s structural integrity with drone footage, laser scanning, and in‑situ stress tests. Their report, released on the official NSEA website a day later, found no evidence of collapse, fractures, or anomalies in the load‑bearing joints.
AI Attribution
Tech analysts from the Nigerian Center for Data and Artificial Intelligence (NCDAI) confirmed that the video was generated by a deep‑fake model trained on publicly available footage of Nigerian expressways. The model had access to thousands of hours of archival traffic videos, enabling it to simulate realistic collapse dynamics. The clip’s timestamp indicated it had been uploaded on December 12, 23:07 UTC, while a forensic review of the file metadata revealed manipulation artifacts around the 14‑second mark.
Public Reaction and Clarifications
Within hours, the video had amassed over 150,000 shares on Facebook alone. Social media moderators on the platform flagged it as “disallowed content” due to misinformation. The Nigerian government’s Ministry of Information posted a correction thread on X (formerly Twitter) and issued a statement on YouTube clarifying that the video was “synthetic and not reflective of any real incident.” The Ministry also announced new public education campaigns on media literacy and a partnership with the Union of Nigerian Journalists to monitor and respond to viral misinformation.
Impact Analysis
Beyond the immediate panic, AI misinformation in Nigeria triggers broader societal effects. The incident at the Osisioma Flyover underscores several risks:
- Public Safety: Misinformation can cause unnecessary panic, divert emergency services, and prompt civilians to divert or halt travel on vital routes, potentially leading to congestion and accidents.
- Economic Consequences: Businesses fear disruption. For instance, logistics companies reported a 12% drop in truck movements through the affected corridor within 48 hours of the video’s spread, citing safety concerns.
- Political Repercussions: Public confidence in local governance can erode. Opposition parties seized the moment to allege systemic negligence in infrastructure maintenance, affecting election narratives.
- Student Concerns: International students and visitors to Abia, many of whom travel via the N5 corridor for university commuting, experienced anxiety about traveling post‑incident. Some expressed a fear of traveling to or from Abuja, leading to a temporary dip in student mobility on the route.
In statistical terms, Nigerian media analysis by the Centre for Media Studies (CMS) shows that 68% of misinformation stories involving infrastructure involve visual content from AI. The CMS study also indicates a 24% increase in traffic incidents following misinformation spikes on expressways.
Expert Insights and Tips
Media Literacy for International Students
University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) Dean of International Relations, Prof. Emmanuel Odhiambo, emphasises the need for students to verify any alarming news. “In this age, a single clip can mislead thousands,” he says. Odhiambo advises students to check multiple sources: visit official government portals, consult local news outlets, and use fact‑checking sites like NigeriaFactCheck.org, which specialise in AI-generated content detection.
Safety Precautions for Commuters
- Verify official traffic updates through the Abia State Traffic Alert app or the National Traffic Alert Service (NTAS).
- In the case of a rumored incident, avoid using the most direct route until local authorities confirm safety.
- Stay tuned to local radio stations, which often provide real‑time updates in rural and peri‑urban areas.
Reporting Mechanisms
Should students or residents encounter suspicious videos, they can report them via the Nigerian Ministry of Information’s report portal or the Twitter handle @MinInfo_Nigeria. The Ministry’s data suggests that each report has an average verification turnaround time of 36 hours.
AI Oversight and Regulation
The Nigerian government is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMT) to propose a regulatory framework for AI content generation. The framework aims to impose liability on platforms that knowingly disseminate “verified misinformation” and to incentivise AI developers to embed watermarking in synthetic media.
Looking Ahead
The Osisioma Flyover incident is a reminder that AI tools can be weaponised to spread panic. In the coming months, authorities will roll out a national media literacy curriculum, integrating modules on synthetic media detection into secondary school syllabi. The Ministry of Digital Affairs has announced a partnership with tech giants like Meta and Twitter to enhance real‑time content moderation across Nigerian social media channels.
For students and citizens, the lesson is clear: in an era of rapidly evolving AI, the onus is on individuals to cross‑check information, remain vigilant, and support community-led initiatives that promote truthful reporting.
Stay informed. Stay safe.
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