The Independent National Electoral Commission has launched a formal investigation into claims of unauthorized access to its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) system, following the circulation of a candidate’s voter information linked to a recent party primary in the Federal Capital Territory.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the commission said it is treating the allegation with urgency and has already begun a detailed probe to establish how the data was accessed and subsequently made public.
According to the electoral body, the controversy emerged after reports on social media suggested that sensitive voter details were obtained from its CVR database and shared without approval.
INEC explained that during the ongoing nationwide voter registration exercise, selected and approved personnel were granted restricted access to specific parts of the system strictly for official duties such as registration, updates, and transfer requests. It stressed that such access is temporary and tightly controlled.
Preliminary internal checks, according to the commission, have helped trace activity linked to the incident back to a specific user account. Officials connected to the system have already been interrogated, while all relevant departments are cooperating with investigators.
The commission also stated that early findings indicate the breach did not originate from outside actors. Instead, it maintained that there was no evidence of hacking or external intrusion into its ICT infrastructure.
It further clarified that the data in question was accessed using valid login credentials assigned to authorised personnel, but the information was allegedly released without proper authorization.
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INEC noted that the incident appears to involve a single voter record and does not affect the broader database, which holds information on over 90 million registered voters nationwide.
The commission added that it is reviewing technical systems, administrative procedures, and operational controls to determine where lapses may have occurred and to assign responsibility where necessary.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services has also opened a parallel investigation into the matter, working independently while coordinating with INEC.
INEC assured Nigerians that voter data remains secure and emphasized that the integrity of the electoral system has not been compromised. It urged the public and media to avoid speculation until investigations are concluded, promising that findings will be made public.
The development follows public reactions triggered by the alleged exposure of a political candidate’s voter details online, an incident that has raised fresh concerns about data protection within Nigeria’s electoral system.
