By The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has launched an investigation into allegations of unauthorized access to its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database following the circulation of information linked to a candidate who participated in a recent political party primary election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
In a statement issued on Tuesday June 2, 2026, and signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), said it became aware of reports on social media, alleging that information was improperly retrieved from its voter registration database and subsequently made public.
INEC stated that it had commenced a comprehensive investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify those responsible.
According to the commission, registration officers involved in the ongoing nationwide CVR exercise were granted limited and controlled access to specific sections of the system to perform official duties such as registering new voters, processing transfer requests and updating voter records. The commission stressed that such access is strictly restricted to official assignments and is revoked once the exercise concludes.
The electoral body disclosed that preliminary findings from its audit trail had enabled investigators to identify the user account through which the information was accessed. It added that relevant personnel had been questioned and that all departments connected to the matter were cooperating with investigators.
INEC said it was examining the technical, administrative and operational aspects of the incident to establish how the credentials were used and whether any internal access-control procedures were violated.
”The audit trail from the preliminary investigation has enabled the Commission to identify the user account through which the information was accessed,” the statement read.
The commission, however, clarified that its preliminary findings showed there was no external attack on its systems.
”Preliminary findings from the Commission’s audit trail so far, however, indicate that there was no external breach of the CVR database, no hacking incident, and no unauthorised external access to the Commission’s ICT infrastructure,” INEC stated.
The commission explained that the information was accessed using valid credentials assigned to personnel participating in the voter registration exercise but was released without authorization.
INEC further assured Nigerians that the incident involved the retrieval of a specific voter record and did not suggest any compromise of the broader voter registration infrastructure or the personal data of more than 90 million registered voters.
”The incident under investigation relates to the retrieval of a specific voter record and does not indicate any compromise of the Commission’s broader voter registration infrastructure or the personal data of over 90 million registered voters,” the statement added.
The electoral body reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding voter information and maintaining public trust in the electoral process.
INEC also revealed that the Department of State Services (DSS) had independently commenced an investigation into the matter. The commission pledged to cooperate fully with security agencies and vowed to ensure that any individual found responsible faces appropriate legal consequences.
The statement urged members of the public and media organisations to avoid speculation while investigations continue, assuring that the commission would provide updates once its findings are concluded.
