WITNESS, a global human rights organization, has convened Nigeria’s first-ever judicial workshop on audio-visual evidence and Generative Artificial Intelligence to strengthen the judiciary’s readiness for the digital age.
The two-day workshop, held on April 14 and 15, 2026, in Ilorin, Kwara State, brought together the Chief Judge and all 23 High Court Judges of the Kwara State Judiciary as well as seven magistrates.
WITNESS stated that Nigeria’s justice system is encountering a growing volume of digital evidence while the rapid proliferation of AI-generated synthetic media has introduced a new and complex layer of challenge.
The group noted that on one hand, the risk of manipulated or fabricated electronic evidence infiltrating judicial proceedings poses a direct threat to the integrity of justice, while overly rigid technical requirements risk shutting out genuine frontline documentation of human rights abuses.
The workshop was led by Dr. Adebayo Okeowo, an international human rights lawyer with deep expertise on the intersection of technology and human rights, 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 two days, participants were taken through a programme spanning Nigerian and international case studies illustrating 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 and addressed existing limitations in Nigeria’s Evidence Act in responding to emerging technologies.
“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 organizing 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,” Dr. Okeowo said.
He warned that without preparation, there is a real risk that critical evidence will be dismissed and victims denied access to justice.
Agunwa highlighted WITNESS’s broader mission to fortify truth in an era of synthetic media, cautioning that no detection tool is infallible.
She encouraged judges to approach digital evidence with a critical and discerning eye, including through application of the SIFT method — Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, Trace claims — as a structured framework for evaluating information.
Babalola provided an exploration of responsible AI use within court administration, presenting 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.
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.
Justice A.A. Adebara, the Chief Judge of Kwara State, said artificial intelligence has created a lot of good around the world but has also had negative impact, particularly with the ease of manipulating audio-visual materials.
“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 organizers for engaging with the Kwara State Judiciary for this pilot workshop,” Adebara said.
The timing of the workshop is deliberate, as Nigeria’s 2027 general elections are expected to generate unprecedented volumes of digital content, with heightened risk of AI-manipulated videos and fabricated materials entering the public domain and potentially courtrooms.
WITNESS designed the intervention as a proactive measure to ensure the judiciary is equipped, technically and conceptually, to distinguish authentic evidence from synthetic fabrication and 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.
