The Nigeria Police Force has commenced investigation into the alleged unauthorised access and leakage of classified voter information from the database of the Independent National Electoral Commission, following the controversy surrounding the publication of Nollywood actor and politician Emeka Ike’s voter registration details.
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The investigation has reportedly led to the arrest of an INEC official and the interrogation of Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Senior police sources said operatives of the Force Intelligence Department, Intelligence Response Team, are probing allegations of database misuse, cyber-related offences and unauthorised disclosure of sensitive electoral information belonging to INEC.
As part of the investigation, an INEC electoral officer, whose identity has not been disclosed, has been taken into custody, while Olayinka was questioned by investigators on Tuesday at the Police Headquarters in Abuja.
The probe followed a petition reportedly filed on behalf of INEC, alleging criminal conspiracy, cyber intimidation and unlawful release of classified electoral records.
The controversy began after Olayinka shared screenshots on social media allegedly showing details of Emeka Ike’s voter registration transfer from Imo State to the Federal Capital Territory.
Ike had contested for the AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
The post triggered widespread public outrage, with many Nigerians questioning how a political aide allegedly obtained voter details believed to have come from INEC’s restricted voter registration system.
INEC, in its response on Tuesday, denied that its Continuous Voter Registration database had been hacked or externally breached.
The commission said preliminary findings showed that the information was accessed through valid internal credentials assigned to an authorised official participating in the ongoing CVR exercise, but was allegedly released without authority.
Investigations reportedly revealed that the detained electoral officer initiated contact with Olayinka through Facebook Messenger before forwarding the voter registration documents to him via WhatsApp.
The documents were said to have been intended to show that Emeka Ike’s voter transfer request had recently been initiated and had not yet received final approval.
During interrogation, Olayinka reportedly told investigators that he had no prior relationship with the INEC official and did not know that the documents shared with him were classified.
Sources said he maintained that the electoral officer did not tell him that the information was confidential or restricted.
The Department of State Services has also commenced a parallel investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disclosure.
Police authorities are reportedly considering possible charges against both the INEC official and Olayinka, including criminal conspiracy, cyber-related offences, unlawful disclosure of classified information and actions capable of causing a breach of public peace.
The development has deepened concerns over the security of voter data ahead of the 2027 general elections, especially after INEC said the incident involved insider misuse rather than an external cyberattack.
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