INEC slammed by Nigerians over alleged ‘AI-generated photos and names of deceased persons’ in voters’ register

The Independent National Electoral Commission is facing criticism after citizens reported suspected duplicate entries and questionable photographs in the preliminary voters’ register published online ahead of the 2027 general elections.

INEC made the register available on its website on Monday, October 27, following calls from Nigerians and other stakeholders for wider public access. The commission had previously displayed the register physically at registration areas across the country. Hours after the online publication, social media users began sharing screenshots and raising concerns about what they described as discrepancies in the records.

Some screenshots attributed to a polling unit in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State showed photographs that users suspected had been generated using artificial intelligence. The claim has not been independently confirmed. Other users alleged that the register contained duplicate entries.

One person said that, while attempting to register for a Permanent Voter Card, the system flagged a record with the same name, date of birth, state and National Identification Number as theirs, but with a different photograph, gender and local government area. The user also alleged that an INEC official described the duplicate record as a coincidence, despite the entries reportedly bearing the same NIN. Other citizens said they had found the names of deceased family members on the register.

INEC has yet to respond to the specific concerns raised in the report. The commission previously said it was processing claims and objections arising from the display of the preliminary register. It plans to certify and publish the final register on December 15, 2026.

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