The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to order an independent investigation into suspected artificial intelligence (AI)-generated photographs and questionable records discovered in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) preliminary Register of Voters ahead of the 2027 general elections.
SERAP urged Tinubu to direct the National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Vincent Olatunji, to investigate whether voters’ personal information was unlawfully accessed, altered or manipulated in violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
In a letter dated October 31, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation demanded an independent forensic examination of INEC’s voter database to establish the nature, extent and causes of the suspected irregularities.
The group also wants the investigation to identify those responsible, determine the number of affected records and establish whether authorised registration officers abused their access credentials.
SERAP said the development raised serious concerns about the security of Nigerians’ personal information and the credibility of the voter register on which the 2027 elections will be conducted.
“The reported irregularities raise serious concerns about the security and integrity of Nigerians’ personal data and the reliability of the voter register ahead of the 2027 general elections,” the organisation said.
The call follows INEC’s October 27 statement acknowledging public concerns over suspected AI-generated photographs appearing in the preliminary register published on its website.
The commission said questionable registration records were identified and flagged for further examination during the nationwide display of the register between October 9 and 15.
INEC also disclosed that it had commenced a review and was taking corrective measures, while examining possible technical or procedural lapses surrounding the suspicious photographs.
However, SERAP maintained that an internal review by INEC was insufficient, insisting that the NDPC must independently exercise its statutory powers to investigate possible violations of data protection laws.
“An internal review by INEC cannot substitute for the NDPC’s independent exercise of its statutory data-protection mandate,” it said.
The organisation specifically called on the data protection commission to determine whether the incidents constituted a personal data breach under Section 65 of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
It also urged the NDPC to establish whether INEC complied with its obligations under Sections 24 and 39, which require personal data to be processed accurately and securely and protected against unlawful alteration and unauthorised access.
SERAP further cited Section 40 of the Act, which requires data controllers to notify the NDPC within 72 hours of becoming aware of a personal data breach likely to pose a risk to individuals’ rights and freedoms.
The organisation warned that any compromise of the voter database could undermine public confidence in the electoral process and expose eligible Nigerians to wrongful exclusion.
It called for stronger security safeguards and accessible procedures through which affected voters could verify and correct their information without being disenfranchised.
SERAP also urged the NDPC to publish its findings and recommendations, subject to lawful protections, and ensure accountability where wrongdoing was established.
Meanwhile, INEC has maintained that the preliminary register published online is not the final certified version.
The commission said it would complete the necessary verification, adjudication and data-cleanup processes before certifying the final Register of Voters on December 15, 2026.
SERAP also invoked Section 37 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees the right to privacy, as well as provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights protecting citizens’ participation in public affairs and elections.
The organisation gave Tinubu seven days from the receipt or publication of its letter to ensure that the requested measures were taken.
It warned that failure to act within the stipulated period could compel it to pursue legal action and other lawful measures against the government, the NDPC, INEC and other relevant authorities.
SERAP insisted that the suspected irregularities must be independently investigated and resolved before the final voter register is certified, stressing that Nigerians must have confidence in the accuracy, reliability and security of the database ahead of the 2027 general elections.
SERAP Urges Tinubu to Probe Suspected AI-Generated Voter Photos
