The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has provided clarification on how voter registration details of Nollywood actor Emeka Ike were accessed and later shared publicly by Lere Olayinka, spokesperson to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
According to INEC spokesperson Mohammed Haruna, preliminary investigations by the commission and security agencies revealed that the information was obtained through an internal breach involving an electoral officer in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
He explained that four individuals were initially questioned, including three INEC staff members and a relative of one of the officials. During the investigation, authorities also confiscated mobile devices belonging to one official and her daughter.
Haruna stated that the electoral officer accessed the voter register containing Mr Ike’s details and transmitted the information to an AMAC electoral official, who later shared it with Mr Olayinka. The screenshot was reportedly captured using the phone of the official’s daughter.
Security operatives have since detained the AMAC electoral officer, while others involved in the case have been released but directed to continue reporting for further questioning.
The INEC spokesperson described the action of the electoral officer as a case of “overzealousness,” adding that investigations showed there was no direct contact between the officer and Mr Olayinka prior to the incident.
He further disclosed that the detained officer was taken in by police investigators for interrogation and has remained in custody while providing his account of events.
Mr Olayinka was also invited by the police for questioning, although he has not publicly responded to requests for comment.
The controversy began after screenshots of Emeka Ike’s voter details circulated online, sparking concerns about the security of INEC’s Continuous Voter Registration system and fears of possible external hacking.
However, INEC has clarified that its database was not compromised, stressing that the incident resulted from misuse of authorised access by internal personnel rather than any breach of its systems.
The commission added that the matter is still under investigation as authorities work to determine the full extent of the data exposure.
