The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has launched a full-scale investigation into the alleged misuse of authorised access credentials and the unauthorised disclosure of information from its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 by its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr. Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the commission said its attention was drawn to claims circulating on social media and in some sections of the media suggesting that details of a candidate in the recent primaries of a political party in the Federal Capital Territory were improperly obtained from the CVR system and the Commission is treating the matter with utmost seriousness.
“Preliminary findings from the Commission’s audit trail indicate that there was no external breach of the CVR database, no hacking incident, and no unauthorised external access to the Commission’s ICT infrastructure,” the statement read.
According to INEC, the information was accessed through valid user credentials assigned to personnel participating in the ongoing CVR exercise, but was allegedly released without authority.
According to the statement, The Commission has since identified the specific user account involved.
The commission noted that Authorised Registration Officers had been granted controlled access to parts of the CVR system to register new voters, process transfers, and update records. Such access is strictly restricted to official duties and is withdrawn after the exercise.
The statement added that relevant personnel have been questioned, while all units connected to the incident are cooperating with the investigation.
INEC said it is examining technical, administrative, and operational factors to determine individual responsibility and any breach of internal protocols.
“The incident under investigation relates to the retrieval of a specific voter record and does not indicate any compromise of the Commission’s broader voter registration infrastructure or the personal data of over 90 million registered voters,” it clarified.
INEC reiterated its commitment to the security, confidentiality, and integrity of voter data, stressing that it would not hesitate to sanction anyone found culpable.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) has independently commenced its own investigation into the matter.
The Commission pledged full cooperation with security agencies and promised to pursue legal action against any person found responsible.
The statement while urging members of the public and the media to disregard unfounded speculations while investigations continue, promised to make final findings and any disciplinary measures public in due course.
