2027 Elections: CCC, Security Chiefs Warn of Deepfakes, Disinformation, Cyber Threats
The Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) and senior security and government officials have raised the alarm over the potential weaponisation of deepfakes, disinformation, impersonation and other cyber threats ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, warning that the country’s security battle is increasingly shifting from the physical battlefield to the information space.
Speaking at the Second National Symposium on Crisis Communication in Kaduna, organised by the CCC under the theme “Inter-Agency Collaboration, Public Trust and Cyber Threat Management in Crisis Communication,” the stakeholders called for stronger inter-agency coordination, rapid fact-checking, AI-enabled detection tools and credible public communication to protect national security and public confidence in democratic institutions.
Chairman of the CCC, Major General Chris Olukolade (rtd.), said effective communication had moved from the periphery of security operations to become a critical component of national security, public safety and stability.
“I warmly welcome you to the Second National Crisis Communication Symposium, and your presence here reflects a shared understanding that effective communication is central to national security, public safety and the preservation of public trust,” Olukolade said.
He warned that delayed or contradictory official communication creates an information vacuum in which rumours, misinformation and manipulated narratives can flourish, particularly as Nigeria’s digital population continues to grow.
Citing estimates by DataReportal, Olukolade said Nigeria had approximately 109 million internet users by the end of 2025, while the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reported that the country lost an estimated ₦1.1 trillion to cybercrime between 2017 and 2023.
He said modern security threats are increasingly being fought in the information space, where manipulated narratives can heighten public anxiety, erode confidence in institutions and complicate security operations.
“Our idea in this Centre is one crisis, one coordinated response,” he said, identifying preparedness, inter-agency coordination, transparency, accountability and resilience against cyber threats and disinformation as critical principles of effective crisis communication.
Olukolade warned that no institution should become so protective of its jurisdiction that it obstructs collective responses to national threats.
With the 2027 elections approaching, the retired general expressed particular concern about the possible deployment of deepfakes, impersonation and AI-generated misinformation to manipulate public opinion and undermine confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
Representing the Minister of Defence, Major General K. A. Ibrahim (rtd.), Senior Special Adviser in the minister’s office, said the symposium was timely considering the diverse security threats confronting the country.
“The Nigerian troops have suceeded in tackling and addressing insecurity innthe country. In the North-East, we have insurgency. In the North-West, we have kidnapping, and in other parts of the country, we have secessionist agitations and criminal crimes,” Ibrahim said.
He argued that no single institution could independently address contemporary security threats, calling instead for a coordinated, whole-of-society approach supported by effective strategic communication.
Representing the Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier General Murtala Muhammed Abu said cooperation among security institutions must extend beyond joint operations to the way government communicates during crises.
“Operational collaboration without communication collaboration is incomplete. Working together requires communicating together, through sharing of verified information, synchronising our narrative and presenting a coherent position of government to the public,” Abu said.
He described public trust as the “currency” of crisis communication, stressing that even a well-crafted message would be ineffective where citizens do not trust the messenger or the institution delivering it.
“We recognise that the Nigerian people are our most important stakeholders. We will not conceal the challenges we face, but we will also not amplify fear,” he added.
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Abu also warned about a surge in disinformation, misinformation, deepfakes and other AI-generated content, saying increasingly sophisticated technologies could produce convincing fake videos, audio recordings and images purporting to depict military operations or statements that never occurred.
He advocated greater use of digital forensics, rapid fact-checking, AI-enabled detection tools and strategic engagement with media organisations and technology platforms.
Declaring the symposium open on behalf of Kaduna State Governor Senator Uba Sani, Commissioner for Information and Culture Alhaji Ahmed Maiyaki said the battle for public confidence had become as important as the physical fight against insecurity.
“Today, the battle for public trust is as important as the battle against insecurity. A nation may defeat a security threat through decisive action, but if communication is not credible, fear can spread and confidence can collapse,” Maiyaki said.
“Misinformation, therefore, is not merely a communication challenge; it is a security threat. It is a danger to peaceful coexistence, and it can become a weapon against democracy.”
Maiyaki highlighted the state’s Kaduna Peace Model, built around dialogue, community participation, intelligence sharing and early-warning mechanisms, as part of a wider non-kinetic approach to security.
“The most successful crisis communication strategy is one that prevents crisis,” he said. “Silence creates a vacuum. Credible information creates confidence.”
The symposium also witnessed the unveiling of the Nigerian Journal of Crisis Communication, the CCC’s inaugural publication designed to provide research, case studies and practical insights on emerging technologies for practitioners and policymakers.
Olukolade said the journal builds on initiatives arising from the inaugural symposium in November 2025, which led to the establishment of the Crisis Communication Hub, subsequently recognised at the 2026 Golden World Awards of the International Public Relations Association.
Delivering the keynote on behalf of Dr Kabir Adamu, Chief Executive Officer of Beacon Security Consulting, Samuel Arwan said Nigeria’s homeland security increasingly depends on a communication ecosystem that is coordinated, trusted and protected from digital manipulation.
“The public hears from whom and how quickly shapes whether people comply with safety instructions, cooperate with security agencies, or turn to rumour and panic,” Arwan said.
He identified the tension between transparency and operational secrecy as a major challenge for security communicators. While citizens require timely information, he said, authorities must also protect classified intelligence, personnel and ongoing operations.
Arwan warned that hostile actors increasingly weaponise digital media during national security incidents, making effective crisis communication an important offensive and defensive measure against cognitive warfare.
He also cautioned against conflicting statements from government and security agencies, particularly contradictory casualty figures.
“The public does not see these boundaries. It has one government. When agencies issue conflicting accounts, citizens conclude that the state is either disorganised or concealing something,” he said.
Arwan advocated pre-agreed communication protocols identifying the lead agency for different categories of emergencies, with clear rules on which institution should speak first.
He also warned against ethnic and religious profiling when responding to banditry and other crimes.
“Banditry is criminality, and from the very moment that you bring identity, you are directly shielding a criminal. We have to take them on, irrespective of their religion or ethnicity,” he said.
Arwan urged authorities to take early-warning signals seriously, noting that major security crises can develop over extended periods before erupting.
“Nigeria’s challenges will not be solved by communication alone, but they cannot be solved without it. Every operational success is strengthened by the message the public believes,” he concluded.
The symposium brought together security agencies, government institutions, communication professionals and other stakeholders to strengthen inter-agency coordination and develop more coherent responses to Nigeria’s evolving security and information threats ahead of the 2027 general elections.
By PRNigeria
