The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced a full-scale investigation into allegations of unauthorized 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, June 2, 2026, the Commission said it had taken the allegations seriously and immediately activated internal mechanisms to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.The controversy emerged after claims surfaced on social media and in sections of the media alleging that unauthorized persons had gained access to information contained in INEC’s voter registration database and subsequently published details relating to a political party aspirant.The statement which was signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, explained that, as part of the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration exercise, authorized Registration Officers were granted controlled access to specific components of the CVR system to facilitate the registration of new voters, process transfer requests, and update voter records where necessary. According to the Commission, such access is strictly limited to official duties and is revoked once the registration exercise concludes.Providing an update on the investigation, the electoral body disclosed that preliminary findings from its audit trail had enabled investigators to identify the specific user account through which the information was accessed.The Commission revealed that relevant personnel linked to the account have already been questioned and that all departments connected to the matter are cooperating fully with the investigation.INEC stated that investigators are examining technical, administrative, and operational aspects of the incident to determine individual responsibility, establish how the credentials were used, and identify any breach of internal access-control protocols before deciding on appropriate sanctions against those found culpable.Significantly, the Commission said its preliminary findings indicate that the incident did not involve an external cyberattack or hacking of its systems.According to INEC, there was no breach of its CVR database by outside actors and no unauthorized external access to its information and communications technology infrastructure. Instead, the information was allegedly accessed using valid user credentials assigned to personnel participating in the current voter registration exercise and was subsequently disclosed without authorization.The Commission emphasized that the matter under investigation concerns the retrieval of a specific voter record and does not suggest any compromise of the wider voter registration system or the personal information of more than 90 million registered voters nationwide.Reaffirming its commitment to data protection and electoral integrity, INEC stated that it treats the security, confidentiality, and integrity of voter information with utmost seriousness.“The Commission remains committed to transparency, institutional integrity, and the protection of voters’ personal information,” the statement noted.Meanwhile, INEC disclosed that the Department of State Services has independently commenced its own investigation into the matter. The Commission pledged full cooperation with security agencies and vowed to pursue legal action against any individual found responsible for wrongdoing.The electoral body also appealed to members of the public and media organizations to avoid speculation while investigations remain ongoing, assuring Nigerians that the outcome of the probe and any corrective measures taken would be made public in due course.The development comes as INEC continues its nationwide voter registration exercise ahead of future electoral activities, placing renewed focus on the management and security of sensitive voter information within the country’s electoral system.