RismadarVoice Reporters
June 2, 2026
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has launched an investigation into allegations of unauthorised access to its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database following the circulation of a voter record linked to a candidate in a recent political party primary election in the Federal Capital Territory.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the Commission said preliminary findings showed that the information was accessed using valid credentials assigned to personnel participating in the ongoing nationwide CVR exercise, but was subsequently released without authorisation.
INEC, however, dismissed claims of a cyberattack on its systems, insisting that there was no evidence of hacking or external infiltration of its database.
“The audit trail from the preliminary investigation has enabled the Commission to identify the user account through which the information was accessed,” the statement said.
According to the electoral body, authorised registration officers were granted controlled access to specific components of the CVR system to carry out voter registration, transfers and record updates as part of the ongoing exercise. Such access, it noted, is strictly limited to official duties and is revoked at the end of the exercise.
The Commission disclosed that relevant personnel have been questioned and that all units connected to the incident are cooperating with investigators.
INEC said it is examining the technical, administrative and operational circumstances surrounding the incident to determine whether there was any breach of internal access-control procedures and to establish individual responsibility.
“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 unauthorised external access to the Commission’s ICT infrastructure,” the Commission stated.
It emphasised that the incident involved the retrieval of a specific voter record and did not compromise the broader voter registration infrastructure or the personal data of more than 90 million registered voters nationwide.
The Commission reiterated its commitment to protecting voter information and maintaining the integrity of its electoral systems.
“The Commission wishes to state categorically that it takes the security, confidentiality and integrity of voter data with the utmost seriousness and remains committed to transparency, institutional integrity and the protection of voters’ personal information,” it added.
INEC also revealed that the Department of State Services (DSS) has commenced a separate investigation into the matter and pledged full cooperation with security agencies.
The electoral body said anyone found culpable would face appropriate legal action and urged members of the public to disregard speculation while investigations continue.
