The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has launched a formal investigation into the alleged misuse of authorised access credentials granted to personnel participating in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, saying preliminary findings have already ruled out any external breach of its ICT infrastructure.
The Commission, in a statement issued on Tuesday 2nd June, 2026, by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Malam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said its internal audit trail had successfully identified the user account through which a specific voter record was accessed and subsequently disclosed without authorisation.
The statement was in response to allegations circulating on social media and in some sections of the media regarding the alleged unauthorised access to the CVR database and the publication of information relating to a candidate in recent party primaries in the Federal Capital Territory.
National Commissioner Haruna said the Commission took the allegation seriously and had moved swiftly to establish the facts surrounding the incident.
He explained that authorised INEC Registration Officers participating in the CVR exercise were granted controlled access to specific components of the system solely for the purpose of registering new applicants, processing transfer requests and updating voter records, stressing that such access was restricted to official duties only and withdrawn at the conclusion of the exercise.
The Commission said relevant personnel had already been questioned and that all units connected with the incident were cooperating fully with the investigation.
The IVEC Chairman stated that the Commission was also examining all technical, administrative and operational factors associated with the matter in order to establish individual responsibility, determine the circumstances surrounding the use of the credentials and identify any breach of internal access-control protocols before taking appropriate action.
He was categorical that the incident did not represent a compromise of the Commission’s broader voter registration infrastructure or the personal data of over 90 million registered voters.
“The Commission takes the security, confidentiality and integrity of voter data with the utmost seriousness and remains committed to transparency, institutional integrity, and the protection of voters’ personal information,” Haruna stated.
He Commission further disclosed that the Department of State Services (DSS) had independently commenced its own investigation into the matter and that INEC would continue to cooperate fully with all relevant security agencies.
Commissioner Haruna warned that the Commission would not hesitate to refer any person found culpable for appropriate legal action.
He urged members of the public and the media to disregard unfounded speculations while investigations remained ongoing, assuring that the Commission would keep the public informed of its final findings and any measures taken in due course (INEC Bulletin)
SEE Full Details ➜