2027: Disu Warns Against Fake News, Deepfakes

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, has warned that fake news, fabricated videos and artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes pose serious threats to national security and the credibility of the 2027 general elections.

Disu cautioned that the circulation of unverified security reports could trigger panic, fuel violence, discourage voter participation and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

The IGP gave the warning on Wednesday at the annual conference and awards of the Crime Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CCAN) held at the Police Resource Centre, Jabi, Abuja.

He urged journalists, particularly crime reporters, to exercise caution in reporting security incidents, insisting that information must be independently verified before publication to prevent misinformation from worsening the country’s security challenges.

According to him, false reports could create insecurity even where no crime had occurred, explaining that circulating old videos as fresh attacks could cause residents to flee their communities, force businesses to shut down and generate unnecessary tension.

“Fake news does not merely accompany insecurity; it can manufacture it,” he said.

He advised journalists to distinguish between allegations and established facts, to verify the origin of videos before sharing them, and to allow relevant authorities to respond to reported incidents.

On the growing threat of deepfakes, Disu explained that artificial intelligence could be deployed to manipulate videos, audio recordings and photographs to falsely portray public figures as making statements or engaging in activities they never did.

In his remarks, CCAN Chairman Festus Fifen described the conference as a timely intervention in Nigeria’s preparations for the 2027 general elections, noting that the battle against insecurity must also be fought in the information space.

He said the media had a critical responsibility to ensure that accurate information prevailed over fake news, misinformation and narratives capable of generating tension and threatening national peace.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abuja Council, Grace Ike, called on security agencies to provide adequate protection for journalists before, during and after the 2027 elections.