Police say they raided 'phone farms' used to sway online debate ahead of 2027 polls
The Nigeria Police Force says it has raided facilities allegedly used to manipulate online conversations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
What the police said
Speaking on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, at a webinar on AI, misinformation and the 2027 elections, Assistant Commissioner of Police Bashir Abdullahi, who represented the Inspector-General of Police, said officers had carried out targeted raids on so-called phone farms after receiving information about a coordinated effort to interfere with the polls. He explained that a single operator can use hundreds of phones and automated accounts to push the same message, creating the impression that many people are independently discussing an issue. He said the raids had disrupted the operation.
Suspect arrested
Abdullahi said a suspect was in custody after officers traced allegedly false reports about a candidate from the South-South. He said the reports were allegedly meant to discredit the candidate and influence voters. The suspect has not been named or charged in court.
Free speech
He said the police would prosecute people found to have spread false information capable of undermining the elections, but stressed that enforcement would be guided by the law and that the force would not interfere with legitimate public debate. He also said the police had acquired tools that can detect deepfake videos, altered photos and cloned voices.
Background
At the same event, INEC said its own staff in about 10 states had uploaded AI-generated photos to the voters' register. The presidential election is scheduled for 16 January 2027.
- Police say phone farms were raided.
- A suspect is in custody over false reports.
- Police say lawful debate will not be targeted.