- INEC Official Arrested Over Alleged Release Of Classified Voter Records
- INEC official arrested while Lere Olayinka was interrogated.
- DSS also commenced investigation into the controversial disclosure.
The Nigeria Police Force has launched an investigation into the alleged unauthorised access and leakage of classified voter information from the database of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The probe has reportedly led to the arrest of an INEC official and the questioning of Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that according to senior police sources, operatives of the Force Intelligence Department’s Intelligence Response Team are investigating allegations bordering on database misuse, cyber-related offences, and the unauthorised disclosure of sensitive electoral records.
As part of the ongoing investigation, an INEC electoral officer, whose identity has not been made public, has been taken into custody by security operatives.
Olayinka was also reportedly interrogated on Tuesday at the Force Headquarters in Abuja over his alleged connection to the leaked documents.
The investigation followed a petition said to have been filed on behalf of INEC, accusing certain individuals of criminal conspiracy, cyber intimidation, and the unlawful release of classified electoral records.
The controversy erupted after Olayinka shared screenshots on social media purportedly containing details of a voter registration transfer involving Nollywood actor and politician Emeka Ike.
The screenshots allegedly showed the transfer of Ike’s voter registration from Imo State to the Federal Capital Territory.
The disclosure came amid public debate over Ike’s eligibility to contest a House of Representatives seat in the FCT following his criticism of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) primary election process.
Following the publication, many Nigerians questioned how the information was obtained, arguing that such records could only have originated from INEC’s restricted voter registration database.
Reacting to the controversy on Tuesday, INEC denied reports that its Continuous Voter Registration database had been hacked or compromised.
The commission maintained that the disclosure resulted from the misuse of legitimate internal access credentials by an authorised official rather than a cyber breach.
According to sources familiar with the investigation, preliminary findings indicated that the detained electoral officer initially contacted Olayinka through Facebook Messenger before allegedly forwarding voter registration documents to him via WhatsApp.
The documents were reportedly intended to show that Emeka Ike’s voter transfer request had been initiated but was yet to receive final approval.
During questioning, Olayinka reportedly told investigators that he had no prior relationship with the INEC official.
He also allegedly stated that he was unaware the documents were classified and insisted that the electoral officer did not indicate that the information was confidential or restricted.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly commenced a separate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disclosure.
Security agencies are said to be 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.
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