The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to direct the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to investigate suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs and other questionable records in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) preliminary register of voters.
SERAP called for an independent investigation to establish the nature and extent of the reported irregularities, determine whether Nigerians’ personal data had been compromised and identify those responsible.
In a letter dated October 31 and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation also urged the commission to ensure that affected Nigerians could verify and correct their records without being unfairly excluded from the electoral process.
“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,” SERAP said.
The organisation called for an independent forensic examination of the affected database and systems, including an assessment of whether INEC complied with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
It further asked the NDPC to determine whether the reported incidents constituted a personal data breach under the law and whether the relevant notification and record-keeping requirements had been fulfilled.
SERAP said the commission should publish its findings and recommendations, subject to lawful protections, and direct corrective measures where violations were established.
The group gave the Federal Government seven days from the receipt or publication of its letter to take the requested action, warning that it would consider legal action and other lawful measures if there was no response.
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SERAP’s intervention followed public concerns over suspected AI-generated photographs in INEC’s preliminary register of voters published on its website.
According to the organisation, INEC acknowledged that questionable registration records had been identified and flagged during the nationwide display of the preliminary register conducted between October 9 and 15.
The electoral commission reportedly said it had commenced a review and was taking corrective action.
INEC also explained that the online register did not reflect all ongoing data-cleanup activities, adding that it was investigating the circumstances surrounding the suspicious photographs, including possible technical or procedural lapses.
The commission maintained that the preliminary register was not the final certified register, noting that verification and data-cleanup processes would be completed before its certification on December 15, 2026.
However, SERAP argued that INEC’s internal review should not substitute for an independent investigation by the NDPC, given that the voter database contains the personal information of millions of Nigerians.
The organisation warned that any unlawful alteration or compromise of voter information could undermine public confidence in the electoral process and expose eligible voters to wrongful exclusion.
It stressed that the accuracy and security of the voter register were essential to protecting Nigerians’ privacy and their constitutional right to participate in public affairs.
