By Ahmed Yusuf, Abuja
National News – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has launched an investigation into the alleged unauthorized access and release of information from its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database, following the circulation of details linked to a candidate who participated in a recent political party primary election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In a statement issued on Tuesday, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the commission was treating the matter with utmost seriousness and had immediately commenced a thorough investigation.
According to Haruna, preliminary findings from the commission’s audit trail have enabled investigators to identify the specific user account through which the information was accessed.
He explained that authorized registration officers participating in the ongoing nationwide CVR exercise were granted controlled access to certain components of the registration system to facilitate voter registration, transfer requests, and updates to voter records. Such access, he noted, is strictly limited to official responsibilities and withdrawn at the end of the exercise.
“The audit trail from the preliminary investigation has enabled the Commission to identify the user account through which the information was accessed. Relevant personnel have been questioned, and all units connected with the incident are cooperating fully with the investigation,” Haruna stated.
INEC said it is examining all technical, administrative, and operational aspects of the incident to determine responsibility and establish whether any internal access-control procedures were violated.
The commission, however, stressed that preliminary findings indicate there was no external breach of its systems.
“Preliminary findings from the Commission’s audit trail so far indicate that there was no external breach of the CVR database, no hacking incident, and no unauthorized external access to the Commission’s ICT infrastructure. Rather, the information in question was accessed through valid user credentials assigned to personnel participating in the ongoing CVR exercise but released without authority,” the statement said.
INEC further clarified that the incident involved the retrieval of a specific voter record and does not suggest any compromise of its broader voter registration infrastructure or the personal data of more than 90 million registered voters.
Reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding voter information, the commission emphasized that the security, confidentiality, and integrity of voter data remain top priorities.
INEC also disclosed that the Department of State Services (DSS) has independently commenced an investigation into the matter. The commission pledged full cooperation with security agencies and vowed to ensure that anyone found culpable faces appropriate legal consequences.
The controversy emerged after Nollywood actor and politician threatened legal action against over the alleged publication of his personal voter information.
Olayinka had shared screenshots on social media purportedly showing that Ike, who contested the AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency seat in the FCT under the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), transferred his voter registration from Imo State to the FCT. The images reportedly contained personal details, including Ike’s voter identification information and registration records.
Reacting during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Ike described the disclosure of his information as disturbing and condemned what he called the misuse of sensitive electoral data.
INEC urged the public and media organizations to avoid speculation while investigations continue, assuring that the outcome of the probe and any actions taken would be made public upon completion.
