INEC flags 268 records over AI photos, irregularities

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has identified 268 records in the preliminary Register of Voters that have been flagged for suspected artificial intelligence (AI)-generated photographs and other irregularities. This comes as the commission prepares to clean up the database ahead of the 2027 general elections.

INEC's Director of Information and Communication Technology, Lawrence Bayode, revealed that the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) had flagged the questionable records, which were then further examined for irregularities. Bayode explained that some individuals exploited a special registration option designed for persons with disabilities to create questionable voter profiles.

The commission has commenced the process of removing the affected records from the preliminary register. While photographs enhanced with AI would not automatically lead to the exclusion of affected voters, those with AI-generated photographs will have their records removed. The controversy surrounding the preliminary register of voters prompted public outrage, especially after screenshots were circulated on social media showing suspicious photographs attached to voter records.

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