AI-Blackmail: Coalition warns of ‘Deepfake’ plot to destabilise 2027 polls

...calls for criminalizing fake AI-generated contents

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Coalition for Ethical Technology and Democratic Integrity (CETDI) has raised a red alert over the escalating use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to orchestrate blackmail and political instability in Nigeria.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, the Convener of the watchdog group—popularly known as the Citizens’ Watch Group, Abdullahi Haruna Haruspice warned that hyper-realistic "deepfake" technology is being weaponized by both local and foreign actors to target the nation’s top political figures.

The Coalition identified several high-profile individuals as primary targets of these digital smear campaigns.

The list according to CETDI includes President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his son Mr. Seyi Tinubu, and key administration figures such as Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC); opposition leader, Otunba Segun Showunmi; Minister of FCT, Mr. Nyesom Wike; Mr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari; Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN); Principal Secretary to the President, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola among others

Decrying the development, Haruspice said, "What was once considered science fiction has now become a credible and immediate threat to Nigeria's democratic stability.

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 "These AI-generated materials are not harmless fabrications. They are deliberately designed to depict false and damaging scenarios... with the intent to extort, intimidate, and mislead the public."

The group noted that the emergence of sophisticated AI-generated audio and video makes it nearly impossible for the average citizen to distinguish truth from fiction, creating a "clear and present danger" as the country moves toward the 2027 general elections.

The CETDI is urging the Federal Government to stop viewing these incidents as mere internet pranks and instead treat them as a form of cyber-terrorism.

To combat the rising tide of disinformation, the Coalition proposed a multi-pronged strategy, which include legislative action to specifically criminalise and penalise the creation of malicious deepfake content, massive government investment in funding specialized AI detection technologies and a deliberate and conscious nationwide campaign to teach citizens how to verify digital content before sharing.

Haruspice argued further, "The sophistication of these tools makes detection extremely difficult without specialized forensic capabilities," warning that, "If left unchecked, this emerging threat could severely erode public trust and undermine the credibility of Nigeria’s democratic institutions."

The coalition then appealed to the political class, urging actors to refrain from utilizing "dirty digital tactics" to influence electoral outcomes.

While the Coalition clarified that its warning is not intended to incite panic, it emphasized that the "time to act is now" to protect the digital integrity of the Presidency and the broader Nigerian governance space.