The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced an investigation into allegations of unauthorised access to its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database following the circulation of information relating to a candidate who participated in a recent political party primary election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the Commission said it was treating the matter seriously and had launched a detailed probe to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
INEC explained that as part of the ongoing nationwide CVR exercise, authorised registration officers were granted controlled access to specific sections of the registration system to enable them process new voter registrations, transfers and updates of voter records.
According to the Commission, preliminary findings from its audit trail identified the user account through which the information was accessed. It added that relevant personnel had been questioned and units connected to the incident were cooperating with investigators.
The electoral body said the investigation would examine technical, administrative and operational factors to establish responsibility, determine how the credentials were used and ascertain whether any internal access-control protocols were breached.
However, INEC stated that preliminary findings showed there was no external breach of its CVR database, no hacking incident and no unauthorised access to its ICT infrastructure from outside the Commission.
It said the information in question was accessed through valid user credentials assigned to personnel participating in the ongoing voter registration exercise but was subsequently released without authorisation.
The Commission further noted 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.
INEC reiterated its commitment to protecting voter information and maintaining the integrity of its electoral systems, stressing that the security, confidentiality and integrity of voter data remain a top priority.
The Commission also disclosed that the Department of State Services (DSS) had separately initiated an investigation into the matter. It pledged to cooperate fully with security agencies and said individuals found culpable would face appropriate legal action.
INEC urged members of the public and the media to avoid speculation while investigations continue, assuring that its findings and any actions taken would be made public upon conclusion of the probe.
