RismadarVoice Reporters, June 2, 2026
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has launched an investigation into the alleged unauthorised release of voter information from its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database, following the circulation of personal data linked to a candidate in a recent political party primary election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In a statement issued on Tuesday, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the commission had commenced a comprehensive inquiry into the incident to determine how the information was accessed and disclosed.
According to the commission, the matter is being treated as a serious breach of established procedures governing access to voter registration records.
INEC explained that personnel participating in the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration exercise are granted limited and controlled access to specific components of the registration system to facilitate voter registration, transfer requests, and updates to voter information. Such access, the commission noted, is restricted to official duties and withdrawn once the exercise concludes.
Haruna disclosed that preliminary findings from the commission’s audit process had enabled investigators to identify the specific user account through which the information was accessed.
He stated that relevant personnel linked to the account had been questioned, while all departments connected to the incident were cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation.
The commission further revealed that initial findings showed no evidence of an external cyberattack or unauthorised intrusion into its digital infrastructure.
According to INEC, the information was accessed using valid internal credentials assigned to officials involved in the voter registration exercise and was subsequently released without proper authorisation.
The electoral body emphasised that the incident involved the retrieval of a single voter record and does not indicate any compromise of its broader voter database or the personal information of more than 90 million registered voters nationwide.
INEC reassured the public that the security, confidentiality, and integrity of voter data remain a top priority and pledged to maintain transparency throughout the investigation.
The commission also disclosed that the Department of State Services (DSS) has independently begun its own investigation into the matter. It added that it would cooperate fully with security agencies and pursue legal action against any individual found responsible for violating its data protection and access regulations.
The controversy emerged after personal voter information allegedly belonging to actor and politician Emeka Ike was shared on social media. The information reportedly appeared to have been obtained through an administrative portal linked to INEC’s voter registration system.
The disclosure sparked widespread criticism and concerns over data privacy, with calls for accountability and stronger safeguards to protect sensitive voter information.
Reacting to the development, Ike described the publication of his personal details as unacceptable and vowed to explore legal options against those responsible for the disclosure.
INEC has urged the public and media organisations to avoid speculation while investigations continue, assuring Nigerians that the findings of the inquiry and any subsequent actions will be made public upon completion.
