Probe Alleged AI-Generated Photos, Manipulation of INEC Voter Register — SERAP Tells Tinubu

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to direct the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to investigate suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs and alleged alterations to personal information in the preliminary voters’ register published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In a letter dated October 31, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation called for an independent investigation to establish the extent of the reported irregularities, identify those responsible and determine whether Nigerians’ personal data had been unlawfully accessed or altered.

SERAP said the concerns raised questions about the security of sensitive personal information and the reliability of the voter register ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It urged the NDPC to conduct a forensic examination of INEC’s affected database and systems, determine whether the incidents constituted a personal data breach under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, and establish whether the electoral commission complied with its legal obligations.

“The security and accuracy of the voter register are fundamental to the protection of Nigerians’ personal data and their right to participate in public affairs,” the organisation said.

SERAP also called for the investigation to establish the number and geographical distribution of affected records, when and how the questionable entries were created or altered, and whether authorised access credentials had been misused.

The organisation urged the authorities to publish the findings, recommend corrective measures and ensure accountability wherever wrongdoing was established. It further called for accessible procedures through which affected voters could verify and correct their details without being unfairly excluded from the electoral process.

SERAP asked the government to ensure that the requested measures were taken within seven days of receiving or publishing its letter, warning that it would consider legal action and other lawful measures if the demands were not addressed.

The appeal follows INEC’s acknowledgement that questionable registration records, including photographs suspected of being AI-generated, were identified during the nationwide display of the preliminary register from October 9 to 15.

The commission said it had begun reviewing the records and investigating possible technical or procedural lapses. It stressed that the online register published on October 26 was preliminary and did not reflect all ongoing data-cleanup activities.

INEC has said it intends to complete verification and corrective processes before certifying the final Register of Voters on December 15, 2026.

The reported irregularities have intensified public scrutiny of the electoral database, with calls for transparent investigations and safeguards to protect eligible voters ahead of the next general election.