Nigeria Police Launches Crackdown On AI Generated Fake News Ahead Of 2027 Elections

Nigeria Police Force has intensified efforts to combat AI generated fake news, deepfakes and digital misinformation ahead of the 2027 general elections. Inspector General of Police Olatunji Disu said the police are using cyber intelligence and digital forensic tools to detect manipulated content and have also uncovered facilities known as phone farms. The police are working with technology companies to trace suspicious online activity while saying legitimate political expression will remain protected. INEC has also raised concerns about the potential misuse of AI in the electoral process.

The Nigeria Police Force has intensified efforts to combat artificial intelligence generated fake news, deepfakes and other forms of digital manipulation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Inspector General of Police Olatunji Disu said the police had strengthened their cyber intelligence and digital forensic capabilities to identify people and organised networks involved in spreading fabricated information that could mislead voters, cause public panic or undermine confidence in the electoral process.
The police also disclosed that they had uncovered and raided facilities known as “phone farms”, where hundreds of mobile phones and automated accounts were allegedly used to create the impression that large numbers of people were supporting or discussing particular issues online.
The development comes as election stakeholders increasingly warn that artificial intelligence could make it easier to create convincing fake videos, photographs, audio recordings and cloned voices that appear to show political candidates or public officials saying or doing things that never happened.

POLICE TARGET AI GENERATED DISINFORMATION

Disu said the police had deployed cyber intelligence, digital forensics and other technological tools to detect manipulated content ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to the police, the National Cybercrime Centre is monitoring online platforms for false and inciting material, while cybercrime operations have also been extended to criminal investigation departments across the country.
The police said their systems can examine suspicious audio, videos and photographs to determine whether they have been manipulated using artificial intelligence.
Disu also said the Force had acquired technology capable of detecting deepfakes and other forms of AI manipulation with a reported accuracy of up to 99 per cent.
The measures are intended to help authorities identify content that could be deliberately created to damage the reputation of candidates, provoke public anger or influence voters through false information.

POLICE UNCOVER PHONE FARMS

One of the most significant developments disclosed by the police was the discovery of so called phone farms.
These are facilities where large numbers of mobile phones and automated accounts can allegedly be operated simultaneously to create artificial online activity.
The police said such operations can make it appear as though a particular subject is being discussed by thousands of genuine users when, in reality, much of the activity may be generated by a single person or organised network.
Authorities said they had carried out targeted raids on some of these facilities and disrupted attempts to manipulate online conversations.
The police also said they had arrested a suspect accused of spreading false information about a political candidate from the South South region. The suspect was allegedly attempting to influence voter behaviour and damage the candidate's reputation.
The allegations have not been established in court, and any accused person remains entitled to due process.

DEEPFAKES COULD CREATE SERIOUS ELECTION RISKS

The police say AI generated content presents a growing security challenge because fake material can be produced and distributed rapidly.
A manipulated video could falsely show a presidential or governorship candidate making an inflammatory statement. A cloned voice could be used to create a fake announcement, while an altered photograph could falsely associate a politician with an event or statement.
Such material can spread widely before fact checkers or authorities have enough time to establish whether it is genuine.
The police have warned that false information can create panic even when no actual security incident has occurred.
For example, an old video from a previous attack could be presented as footage of a new incident, potentially causing residents to flee, businesses to close and communities to become fearful.

POLICE TO WORK WITH SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES

The Nigeria Police Force said it has begun working with technology and social media companies to improve its ability to trace suspicious digital content.
The police specifically mentioned cooperation with platforms including Meta and TikTok.
According to Disu, the cooperation could help investigators establish information about the users behind suspicious content, determine where it originated, request the removal of harmful material where appropriate and preserve electronic evidence for investigations.
The police said responses from technology partners can help investigators act more quickly when potentially harmful content is identified.
This approach is intended to combine technological detection with conventional police investigations and digital evidence gathering.

POLICE PROMISE TO PROTECT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

While announcing tougher measures against disinformation, Disu also said the police would not use the campaign against fake news as an excuse to suppress legitimate political opinions or peaceful expression.
He said officers would be expected to gather sufficient evidence before making arrests and would only act where the relevant legal elements of an offence had been established.
The police identified offences such as cyberstalking, criminal intimidation, impersonation, threats and incitement among the areas being investigated where the necessary legal requirements are met.
Disu also said the Force was mindful of the constitutional rights of Nigerians to express political opinions.
This distinction is important because criticism of politicians, political debate and unpopular opinions are not automatically fake news or criminal conduct. The police say their focus is on content that meets the legal requirements for an offence rather than legitimate political expression.

INEC ALSO RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT AI

The Independent National Electoral Commission is also monitoring the potential misuse of artificial intelligence in the electoral process.
INEC National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna, who participated in discussions on AI and misinformation ahead of the 2027 elections, said the commission had flagged officials in 10 states for disciplinary action over the uploading of AI generated photographs to the national voters' register.
The development highlights the possibility that AI could affect not only political campaigns and social media but also aspects of election administration.
Electoral authorities therefore face the challenge of ensuring that digital systems and voter information remain reliable as the use of artificial intelligence becomes more widespread.

JOURNALISTS URGED TO VERIFY DIGITAL CONTENT

The police and other stakeholders have also called on journalists to exercise greater caution when handling election related information.
The Inspector General has warned that publishing unverified security reports, manipulated videos or fabricated claims could increase public tension and undermine confidence in the electoral process.
Journalists are being encouraged to verify photographs, videos and audio recordings before publishing them, particularly when the material concerns security incidents, political candidates or electoral authorities.
The warning comes at a time when the speed of social media can allow false information to reach large audiences before traditional verification procedures are completed.

NIGERIA PREPARES FOR A MORE DIGITAL 2027 ELECTION

The growing use of artificial intelligence is expected to make information management an important part of Nigeria's preparations for the 2027 elections.
Political parties, candidates, journalists, security agencies, electoral officials and voters will all face the challenge of distinguishing genuine material from content that has been manipulated.
For the police, the immediate priority is to identify coordinated networks that deliberately create and distribute harmful false information while ensuring that legitimate political speech remains protected.
The Force says it will continue working with INEC, technology companies, media organisations, civil society groups and other government agencies as preparations for the elections continue.
The challenge will be to ensure that efforts to combat AI generated disinformation protect the integrity of the electoral process without unnecessarily restricting Nigerians' legitimate right to express political views.