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.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has identified officials in about 10 states who uploaded photographs generated by artificial intelligence to Nigeria's voters' register.

What INEC said

Speaking on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, at a webinar on AI, misinformation and the 2027 elections, INEC National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna, who chairs the commission's Information and Voter Education Committee, said a large number of AI-generated pictures had been posted onto the register and had since been taken down. He said the commission had the names of the staff involved across about 10 states and would take disciplinary action against them.

Limits on what INEC can do

Haruna said it could be difficult for the commission to stop members of the public from digitally altering their own photographs before submitting them, but that INEC could act directly where its own staff were responsible.

Background

The issue of AI-generated images on the register had already drawn public attention, raising concerns about the accuracy of the voter roll ahead of the general elections. The presidential election is scheduled for 16 January 2027.

Imo State governor Hope Uzodimma has vowed to continue his bid for the Imo West Senate seat, despite a court judgment that removed him as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate.

What he said

Speaking after Mass at the Government House chapel in Owerri, reported on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, Uzodimma dismissed suggestions that he would surrender the ticket, telling supporters that anyone who says someone else will take it from him is lying. He urged residents to campaign for APC candidates in state and federal races, naming the party's candidates for the Okigwe and Owerri zones, and continued to present himself as the party's candidate for Orlu, the Imo West zone.

The court ruling

A Federal High Court recently ruled that former governor Rochas Okorocha, not Uzodimma, is the APC's rightful candidate for Imo West. Okorocha, who represented the district in the Senate from 2019 to 2023, was congratulated on the ruling by former APC chairman Abdullahi Ganduje.

Background

Uzodimma, who is serving his second term as governor and cannot run again, is a key ally of President Bola Tinubu in the South-East. FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has denied having any role in the judgment.

An event centre in Owerri, Imo State, has reportedly been marked by the state government days after hosting a town hall meeting of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

What happened

Photos shared online on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, show a message sprayed in red paint on the property, attributed to the Imo State government, asking the owners to show their title document and ground rent receipts within 48 hours. The venue, on Port Harcourt Road in New Owerri, hosted a town hall meeting with Peter Obi, the NDC presidential candidate, and his allies on 31 October.

How people reacted

Some social media users questioned whether the venue was being punished for hosting an opposition event, while others said the owners should simply present the requested documents and urged critics not to politicise the matter. The state government had not publicly explained the reason for the notice at the time of writing.

Background

Imo is governed by Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a strong supporter of President Bola Tinubu's re-election. The presidential election is scheduled for 16 January 2027.