The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has warned that fake news, fabricated videos and artificial intelligence (AI) generated deepfakes pose serious threats to national security and could undermine the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
Disu gave the warning at the annual conference and awards ceremony of the Crime Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CCAN), held at the Police Resource Centre, Jabi, Abuja.
He urged journalists, particularly crime reporters, to verify information before publication and avoid amplifying unconfirmed security reports capable of triggering panic, violence and public distrust.
The IGP expressed concern that misinformation could be particularly dangerous during the 2027 elections, warning that fabricated reports could discourage voter participation, erode public confidence in the electoral process and create grounds for rejecting election results even before votes were counted.
In his keynote address, the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mallam Jibril Ndache, described responsible journalism as indispensable to electoral security and democratic stability.
He warned that misinformation and disinformation had become serious threats to Nigeria’s political future, stressing the need for accurate and responsible reporting, especially as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.
Also speaking, CCAN Chairman, Festus Fifen, described the conference as a timely intervention ahead of the 2027 elections, noting that the fight against insecurity must extend beyond the physical environment to the information space.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abuja Council, Comrade Grace Ike, called for adequate protection of journalists before, during and after the elections.
The annual conference, themed “Navigating Security Challenges in the 2027 Election,” also featured an awards ceremony where the Inspector-General of Police and other deserving stakeholders were honoured for their contributions.
