2027 Elections: Police Warn Journalists Against AI Fake News, Unverified Reports

The Nigeria Police Force has warned journalists against publishing unverified reports, manipulated videos and AI-generated content capable of triggering fear and tension ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, gave the warning on Wednesday at a one-day capacity-building workshop on responsible security reporting organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, in Abuja.

Represented by the Director of the National Cybercrime Centre, AIG Akaninyene Ezimma, Disu said journalists had a critical role to play in election security, stressing that responsible reporting could help prevent tension while misinformation could aggravate existing security challenges.

He warned that the speed at which false information spreads had created additional challenges for election security, particularly with the availability of old photographs, recycled videos, fabricated statements and AI-generated content.

“The media has the power to shape how Nigerians understand what is happening around them. That power must be exercised with responsibility,” he said.

The IGP urged journalists to adopt the principle, “Stop! Check! Confirm! Report!” and resist the pressure to publish first at the expense of accuracy.

He said election security should be treated as a shared responsibility between security agencies and the media, urging journalists to verify information before publication and provide adequate context when reporting sensitive security developments.

The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, represented by DCP Ibrahim Jibrin, also urged journalists to verify security-related information and assured the media that the police would remain accessible to legitimate inquiries while protecting sensitive operational information.

Sanusi said responsible security reporting could help calm tension, improve public understanding and support security operations, while inaccurate or sensational reports could create fear, panic and distrust.

In her welcome address, the Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, said the workshop was designed to help journalists balance the public’s right to information with the need to prevent reporting that could cause harm.

Ike said the training would strengthen journalists’ capacity to verify eyewitness material, apply ethical and legal standards under pressure, protect sources and engage security agencies without compromising editorial independence or the public interest.

She also urged journalists to develop stronger digital literacy skills to identify deepfakes and manipulated content, while applying restraint when reporting sensitive security matters.

The NUJ FCT chairperson pledged the council’s continued support for journalists covering the security beat, including advocacy for professional safety, training, legal protection and mental-health support for reporters exposed to traumatic events.

She also called on security agencies to engage more transparently with journalists and respect press freedom while carrying out their responsibility to protect public safety.

A retired Commissioner of Police, Lawrence Alobi, called for wider digital-literacy campaigns, stronger fact-checking mechanisms, transparent communication and clear ethical guidelines for citizen journalists covering security issues.

Resource persons, including former NUJ Chairman Abduljelil Adebayo and Deputy Director of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, Busola Ajibola, urged journalists and newsrooms to distinguish clearly between official information and unverified claims.

They also advised reporters to properly label unverified material, avoid sensational headlines capable of aggravating ethnic or religious tensions and protect vulnerable sources.

The resource persons further called on news organisations to strengthen verification and fact-checking systems and provide mental-health support for journalists covering traumatic incidents.

Organisers said the workshop was aimed at strengthening cooperation between security agencies and the media, improving journalists’ access to authoritative information and building greater public trust through accurate and transparent reporting.

They said the training was also intended to ensure that security reporting contributes to peaceful democratic participation as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.