Police target AI fake news farms before 2027 polls
Nigeria's police are deploying cyber-intelligence to find phone farms used to spread AI-generated disinformation.
Nigeria's police are launching operations to find phone farms, where hundreds of mobile phones are used to create artificial online engagement and manipulate public opinion ahead of the 2027 elections. Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, stated that the police have deployed cyber-intelligence and digital forensic capabilities to tackle AI-generated misinformation, deepfakes, and voice cloning.
Disu explained that the police have acquired cyber solutions capable of detecting AI manipulation with up to 99 per cent accuracy, and these tools can verify information and identify deepfakes. He noted that coordinated attempts to interfere with the electoral process through such facilities have been uncovered, leading to targeted raids on phone farms.
The police have arrested an individual accused of spreading false information about a candidate from the South-South region to negatively influence voters. Disu said the suspect was identified through a complaint, investigation, and digital attribution exercise, highlighting the police's efforts to monitor credible threats and identify coordinated networks involved in malicious information manipulation.