The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced an investigation into allegations that information was improperly accessed from its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database and later disclosed during a recent political party primary election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In a statement released on Tuesday, the electoral body said it became aware of reports circulating online and in the media regarding the alleged unauthorised retrieval of voter information and has begun a detailed probe to determine exactly what happened.
According to INEC, registration officers involved in the ongoing nationwide voter registration exercise were granted limited access to specific sections of the database strictly for official duties such as registering new voters, processing transfers, and updating records.
The commission revealed that preliminary findings have already identified the user account through which the information was accessed, while relevant officials have been questioned as part of the ongoing investigation.
INEC, however, stressed that there is no evidence of a cyberattack, hacking incident, or external breach of its systems. The commission explained that the information was accessed using legitimate credentials assigned to authorised personnel but was allegedly released without approval.
The electoral body further assured Nigerians that the incident involved only a specific voter record and does not indicate any compromise of its database containing information on over 90 million registered voters nationwide.
INEC also disclosed that the Department of State Services (DSS) has launched a separate investigation into the matter. The commission pledged full cooperation with security agencies and vowed to take appropriate action against anyone found culpable.
While urging the public to avoid speculation, INEC assured Nigerians that voter data remains a top priority and promised to make the outcome of its investigation public when concluded.
Source: INEC
