The police have opened a probe into an alleged leak of classified voter information from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) database. An INEC official has been arrested and Lere Olayinka, media aide to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, was questioned.
Senior police sources said the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) is investigating database misuse, cyber offences and the unauthorised disclosure of INEC documents. The identity of the detained electoral officer was not disclosed. Olayinka was interviewed on Tuesday at the Police Headquarters in Abuja.
The investigation followed a petition reportedly filed on behalf of INEC alleging criminal conspiracy, cyber intimidation and unlawful release of electoral records. The row began after Olayinka posted screenshots on social media that appeared to show a voter transfer involving actor-politician Emeka Ike from Imo State to the FCT. The post, coming amid questions about Ike’s eligibility to contest a House of Representatives seat after his criticism of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) primary process, drew wide reaction and many asking how the details were obtained.
INEC denied a hack of its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database, saying the leak came from misuse of legitimate internal access by an authorised official. Investigators say the detained officer contacted Olayinka on Facebook Messenger, then sent documents via WhatsApp showing Ike’s transfer had been initiated but not approved.
Olayinka told investigators he had no prior relationship with the INEC official and did not know the documents were classified; sources say the official did not mark them confidential. The DSS has opened a parallel probe. Police are weighing possible charges against both, including criminal conspiracy, cyber offences, unlawful disclosure of classified information and acts likely to breach the public peace.
