The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says it has initiated a thorough investigation following allegations of unauthorised access and disclosure of information from its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database.
The claims, circulating on social media and in some media outlets, involve the publication of details concerning popular actor Mr. Emeka Ike, a candidate in recent primaries of the NDC in the Federal Capital Territory, by Mr. Lere Olayinka, an aide to the FCT Minister.
Stating that it takes the matter seriously and has already begun probing the incident to establish the facts, INEC said preliminary findings from the Commission’s audit trail indicate that the information was accessed using valid user credentials issued to authorised Registration Officers participating in the ongoing CVR exercise. These credentials were reportedly released without authority.
INEC however insisted that there was no external breach, hacking incident, or unauthorised external access to its ICT infrastructure. The access it said, was limited to a specific voter record and did not compromise the broader database or personal data of over 90 million registered voters.
The Commission says it is examining technical, administrative, and operational aspects of the case to determine individual responsibility and identify any breaches of internal protocols. Relevant personnel have been questioned, and all involved units are cooperating with the investigation. INEC emphasised that such access is strictly restricted to official duties and is withdrawn after the exercise concludes.
INEC while reiterating its commitment to the security, confidentiality, and integrity of voter data, revealed that the Department of State Services (DSS) has also launched an independent investigation, with which INEC is fully cooperating.
The Commission urged the public and media to disregard unfounded speculations while investigations continue and promised to update the public on final findings and actions taken.
