The Nigeria Police Force has launched an investigation into the alleged unauthorized access and disclosure of sensitive voter information belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), a development that has led to the arrest of an electoral official and the questioning of a media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
According to security sources, operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) are investigating allegations involving database misuse, cyber-related offenses, and the unlawful release of classified electoral records from INEC’s voter registration system.
As part of the ongoing probe, an INEC electoral officer, whose identity has not been made public, has reportedly been taken into custody. Investigators also questioned Lere Olayinka, a media aide to the FCT Minister, at the Police Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.
The investigation was reportedly triggered by a petition filed on behalf of INEC, which alleged criminal conspiracy, cyber intimidation, and the unauthorized disclosure of confidential electoral information.
The controversy began after Olayinka shared screenshots on social media that allegedly showed details of a voter registration transfer involving Nollywood actor and politician Emeka Ike. The documents appeared to indicate that Ike had initiated a transfer of his voter registration from Imo State to the Federal Capital Territory.
The disclosure came amid public debate over Ike’s eligibility to contest for a seat in the House of Representatives in the FCT, following his criticism of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) primary process. The screenshots quickly generated widespread reactions, with many Nigerians questioning how the information was obtained and suggesting it could only have originated from INEC’s restricted voter registration database.
Responding to the controversy, INEC dismissed claims that its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database had been hacked or compromised. The electoral body maintained that the incident stemmed from the misuse of legitimate internal access credentials by an authorized official rather than a cybersecurity breach.
Preliminary findings reportedly indicate that the detained electoral officer initiated contact with Olayinka through Facebook Messenger before sending voter registration documents via WhatsApp. The documents were allegedly intended to demonstrate that Emeka Ike’s voter transfer application had been initiated but had not yet received final approval from the commission.
During questioning by investigators, Olayinka reportedly stated that he had no previous relationship with the INEC official and was unaware that the documents shared with him were classified. Sources familiar with the investigation said he told authorities that the official never informed him that the information was confidential or restricted.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly opened a separate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the release of the voter information.
Security agencies are continuing their inquiries, with authorities said to be considering possible charges against both the detained INEC official and Olayinka. The potential charges reportedly include criminal conspiracy, cyber-related offenses, unlawful disclosure of classified information, and actions capable of causing a breach of public peace.
The case has drawn significant public attention and renewed concerns about data security, access controls, and the protection of sensitive electoral information ahead of future elections in Nigeria.
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