The Nigeria Police Force has launched an investigation into the alleged unauthorized access and leakage of sensitive voter information from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) database. This inquiry has resulted in the arrest of an INEC official and the interrogation of Lere Olayinka, a media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Senior police sources confirmed on Wednesday that operatives from the Force Intelligence Department’s Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) are examining allegations related to database misuse, cyber offences, and the unauthorized disclosure of critical national documents belonging to INEC.
As part of the ongoing investigation, an unidentified INEC electoral officer has been taken into custody, while Olayinka was questioned at the Police Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.
The probe was initiated following a petition filed by INEC, which alleges criminal conspiracy, cyber intimidation, and the unlawful release of classified electoral records. The controversy erupted after Olayinka shared screenshots on social media that purportedly displayed details of a voter registration transfer involving Nollywood actor and politician Emeka Ike, moving from Imo State to the Federal Capital Territory.
This post sparked widespread reactions, particularly regarding Ike’s eligibility to contest a House of Representatives seat in the FCT amid his criticisms of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) primary process. Many Nigerians voiced concerns about how such sensitive information was obtained, suggesting it could only have originated from INEC’s restricted voter registration database.
In response to the uproar, INEC denied any breach or hacking of its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database. The commission clarified that the information was disclosed due to the misuse of legitimate internal access credentials by an authorized official.
Investigations revealed that the detained electoral officer allegedly contacted Olayinka through Facebook Messenger, subsequently forwarding voter registration documents to him via WhatsApp. These documents were intended to demonstrate that Emeka Ike’s voter transfer request had recently been initiated but had yet to receive final approval.
During his interrogation, Olayinka asserted that he had no prior relationship with the INEC official and was unaware that the documents shared with him were classified. He maintained that the electoral officer did not indicate that the information was confidential or restricted.
Simultaneously, the Department of State Services (DSS) has initiated a parallel investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disclosure of the voter information. Police authorities are reportedly considering potential charges against both the INEC official and Olayinka, which may include criminal conspiracy, cyber-related offences, unlawful disclosure of classified information, and actions that could jeopardize public peace.
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