A civil society group, Foundation for Digital Justice, has requested detailed information from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding the forensic investigation into an alleged X account linked to its chairman, Joash Amupitan.
In a Freedom of Information (FOI) request dated April 21, the foundation asked the electoral body to disclose the identity and professional profile of the cybersecurity expert engaged to carry out the probe, alongside a certified copy of the full investigative report.
INEC had earlier announced that findings from its forensic analysis showed that the X account, identified as @joashamupitan, and posts attributed to its chairman were fake and “forensically unverifiable.”
According to the commission, the investigation was conducted by an independent expert using a combination of digital tools, including platform data analysis, internet archive records, open-source intelligence (OSINT) techniques, and cross-platform verification methods.
The controversy began on April 10 when social media users circulated screenshots allegedly showing a that the INEC chairman operated the account and made a partisan comment in response to a post by Dayo Israel of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Further claims were supported by additional screenshots purporting to show linked personal data, including email addresses, phone numbers, and financial identifiers.
READ ALSO: INEC: Forensic Probe Shows Amupitan Didn Operate Partisan Social Media Account
In its FOI letter, signed by its legal manager, Moses Alabi, the foundation demanded transparency on several aspects of the investigation.
These include the letter of engagement or service agreement between INEC and the forensic expert, details of the scope of work, total payments made for the services, procurement records, and internal completion certificates.
“We are confident that these requests will be treated urgently in line with the seven-day rule stipulated under the Freedom of Information Act 2011,” the letter stated.
The organisation also warned that failure to comply within the statutory timeframe could result in legal action in the public interest.
A copy of the FOI request has reportedly been acknowledged by the office of the INEC chairman, signalling the start of what may become a broader push for transparency in the handling of digital misinformation cases involving public institutions.