First-of-its-kind judicial workshop held in Kwara State equips the bench to navigate deepfakes, synthetic media, and digital evidence ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 elections
In a significant step towards strengthening the Nigerian judiciary’s readiness for the digital age, WITNESS, a global human rights organization, convened the country’s first-ever judicial workshop on audio-visual evidence and Generative Artificial Intelligence.
The two-day workshop, held on 14 and 15 April 2026 in Ilorin, Kwara State, brought together the Chief Judge and all 23 High Court Judges of the Kwara State Judiciary, representing the full bench of the state’s high court system. Also in attendance were 7 Magistrates.
A Judiciary Under Pressure from the Digital Tide: Nigeria’s justice system is encountering a growing volume of digital evidence. At the same time, the rapid proliferation of AI-generated synthetic media has introduced a new and complex layer of challenge. The stakes are high on two fronts. On one side, the risk of manipulated or fabricated electronic evidence infiltrating judicial proceedings poses a direct threat to the integrity of justice.
On the other hand, overly rigid technical requirements that are incompatible with the current landscape, risk shutting out genuine frontline documentation of human rights abuses. As AI lowers the barrier to creating convincing fabrications, powerful actors can increasingly weaponise the technology to discredit authentic citizen video evidence, undermining accountability for those who need it most. The Workshop: Bringing Global Expertise to the Nigerian Bench The workshop was led by Dr. Adebayo Okeowo, an international human rights lawyer with deep expertise on the intersection of technology and human rights. He was joined by Nkem Agunwa, Senior Africa Program Manager at WITNESS, and Olumide Babalola, Managing Partner at OBLP, a leading digital rights law firm in Nigeria.
Over the course of two days, participants were taken through a rich programme spanning Nigerian and international case studies that illustrated how generative AI has already disrupted democratic processes and distorted the public’s understanding of what is real. During a practical session, Dr. Okeowo demonstrated the capacity of generative AI tools to produce hyper-realistic images, underscoring in concrete terms why judicial awareness of these technologies can no longer be deferred. He also addressed the existing limitations in Nigeria’s Evidence Act in responding to emerging technologies.
Dr. Okeowo spoke to the urgency underpinning the initiative: “Given the growing use of AI-generated content in elections, human rights documentation, and criminal investigations, building judicial capacity in this area has become urgent. This is why organising the training for the judiciary in early 2026 was so important it places Nigeria ahead of the curve before the 2027 elections, which are likely to see a significant influx of manipulated content. Without this preparation, there is a real risk that critical evidence will be dismissed and victims denied access to justice” Ms. Agunwa highlighted WITNESS’s broader mission to fortify truth in an era of synthetic media.
In her session on AI detection methods, she cautioned that no detection tool is infallible and encouraged judges to approach digital evidence with a critical and discerning eye, including through the application of the SIFT method (Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, Trace claims) as a structured framework for evaluating information.
Olumide Babalola also provided an exploration of responsible AI use within court administration. He presented practical examples of how AI can assist in managing heavy caseloads and improving judicial efficiency. He also encouraged courts to draw on local expert witnesses who can provide informed testimony on the veracity of audio-visual evidence placed before them.
The Judiciary Responds: Recommendations from the Bench At the close of the workshop, participating judges articulated concrete recommendations for how the Nigerian judiciary can respond to the challenge of AI and digital evidence. Prominent among their concerns was the obligation of lawyers appearing before courts to exercise proper due diligence when tendering digital evidence, specifically addressing questions of provenance, chain of custody, and the integrity of electronic materials before they are placed before a judge. Honourable Justice A.A. Adebara, the Chief Judge of Kwara State, gave voice to the broader significance of the moment: “Artificial Intelligence has come to stay.
It has created a lot of good around the world, but it has also had a lot of negative impact, particularly with the ease of manipulating audio-visual materials. As technology evolves, we must continue to find solutions to these damaging areas of Artificial Intelligence. I commend the organisers for engaging with the Kwara State Judiciary for this pilot workshop.”
A Timely Intervention Ahead of 2027 The timing of the workshop is deliberate. Nigeria’s 2027 general elections are expected to generate unprecedented volumes of digital content, with a heightened risk of AI-manipulated videos and fabricated materials entering the public domain and, potentially, courtrooms. WITNESS designed this intervention as a proactive measure to ensure the judiciary is equipped, technically and conceptually, to distinguish authentic evidence from synthetic fabrication, and to resist the misuse of AI claims as a tool to suppress legitimate visual evidence.
By strengthening judicial capacity at this critical juncture, the workshop seeks to ensure that justice and accountability remain accessible to all, not only to those with the resources to commission high-end forensic verification.
