By Ghazali Ibrahim
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has launched an investigation into allegations of unauthorized access to its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database following the publication of information relating to a candidate who participated in a recent political party primary in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), INEC said preliminary findings showed there was no external breach, hacking incident, or unauthorized access to its ICT infrastructure, contrary to claims circulating on social media and in some media reports.
According to the Commission, the information was accessed using valid credentials assigned to personnel involved in the ongoing nationwide CVR exercise and was subsequently released without authorization.
INEC explained that registration officers participating in the CVR exercise are granted controlled access to specific sections of the database to register new voters, process transfer requests, and update voter records. Such access, it noted, is strictly limited to official duties and withdrawn after the exercise.
The Commission disclosed that an audit trail from its preliminary investigation had enabled it to identify the user account through which the information was retrieved.
“Relevant personnel have been questioned, and all units connected with the incident are cooperating fully with the investigation,” the statement said.
INEC added that it is examining the technical, administrative, and operational circumstances surrounding the use of the credentials to determine whether internal access-control protocols were breached and to establish individual responsibility.
The electoral body emphasized that the incident involved the retrieval of a specific voter record and did not suggest any compromise of its broader voter registration infrastructure or the personal data of more than 90 million registered voters.
Reaffirming its commitment to data protection, INEC said it treats the security, confidentiality, and integrity of voter information with utmost seriousness.
The Commission also revealed that the Department of State Services (DSS) has independently commenced an investigation into the matter and assured the public of its full cooperation with security agencies.
INEC warned that anyone found culpable would face appropriate legal action and urged members of the public and the media to avoid speculation while investigations continue.
