Legal practitioner and public affairs analyst, Liborous Oshoma, has warned that the alleged compromise of voter data held by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is more dangerous than a cyberattack, saying Nigerians’ personal information may now be widely exposed.
Speaking in an interview on ARISE NEWS on Sunday, June 7, Oshoma said the development raises serious concerns about privacy, institutional failure, and the safety of sensitive national data.
According to him, the situation suggests that citizens’ information may no longer be secure, with unknown persons potentially having access to voter records.
“What it means is like we are all naked. Our information is out there. Only God knows how many people have accessed those information.”
He stressed that the issue should not be treated as a private dispute or limited to any individual case, but as a matter of national importance that affects every Nigerian.
Oshoma further warned that the implications go beyond privacy concerns, as public trust in INEC could be severely weakened if citizens begin to doubt the integrity of its database.
He questioned how voters can be assured that their data is safe from future breaches.
“So any voter, for example, can take up the matter and say, what has happened what’s the likelihood that it will not happen to any other person? How are we sure that our data is protected by INEC?”
READ ALSO: Emeka Ike Sues Wike’s Aide Over Alleged INEC Personal Data Leak
The lawyer argued that the alleged breach is even more serious than a typical hacking incident, suggesting that it may involve insider access to sensitive systems.
“This is worse than a hack. Because now what this means is that you don’t even need to hack the server… Just go through an insider.”
He called on INEC to ensure accountability and demonstrate that anyone found responsible for wrongdoing will face the full force of the law.
Oshoma also urged the commission to act decisively to restore public confidence, including prosecuting those involved if investigations confirm wrongdoing.
“We’ll prosecute them publicly. It’s like a coup,” he said.
He also warned that affected citizens may take legal action against INEC if their personal information is confirmed to have been exposed without authorization, saying, “Anybody can sue INEC to say, you have compromised my information.”
Beyond the immediate controversy, Oshoma said the situation reflects deeper institutional weaknesses in Nigeria, where systems often depend more on individuals than strong safeguards.
“With what we have seen in Nigeria, how we are raising superhumans instead of super institutions.”
He concluded by urging INEC to strengthen its systems and intensify efforts to rebuild trust in the electoral process, adding that, “INEC needs to work twice as hard as they are doing already.”