The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has opened a formal investigation into the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following an alleged breach of sensitive voter information involving Nollywood actor and political aspirant, Emeka Ike.
The move follows the circulation of screenshots on social media containing Ike’s voter registration details, including his Voter Identification Number (VIN), registration history, and transfer records. The incident has raised renewed concerns about the security of Nigeria’s Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database, which holds data on over 93 million registered voters.
INEC, in a preliminary response, said its systems were not compromised by external hackers, but that the incident resulted from unauthorized use of valid internal credentials.
According to the commission, the sensitive data was accessed through official user accounts assigned to personnel involved in CVR operations, but was later released without approval. INEC said its internal audit trail helped identify the specific account used in extracting the records.
Security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service (SSS), have reportedly detained a staff member linked to the breach, while questioning continues to establish how the information was obtained and shared.
The controversy escalated after a media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, reportedly shared the screenshots on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
The posts were allegedly used to criticize Emeka Ike following his loss in the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) primary election for the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC)/Bwari Federal Constituency, with claims questioning the timing of his voter registration transfer from Imo State to Abuja.
Following the electoral defeat, Ike had previously accused party actors of irregularities and raised concerns about the conduct of the primaries.
The NDPC said its probe will focus on whether INEC failed to meet its obligations under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, which classifies INEC as a major data controller required to implement strict safeguards over access to sensitive citizen data.
The commission will examine whether there were lapses in access control, user monitoring, and internal authorization processes that may have enabled the unauthorized disclosure.
Digital rights advocates and legal analysts say the incident highlights broader vulnerabilities in Nigeria’s electoral data infrastructure ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Civil society groups have called for greater transparency in how voter data is accessed and shared, as well as independent audits of INEC’s database security systems.
INEC, meanwhile, says it is reviewing its internal access protocols and strengthening monitoring systems to prevent further breaches and restore public confidence.
Emeka Ike has described the incident as a violation of his privacy and indicated plans to pursue legal action. He also condemned the release of his personal electoral data, describing it as politically motivated.
As investigations continue, authorities say the outcome of the NDPC probe could determine whether INEC faces sanctions or is found to have committed institutional negligence under data protection laws.
For now, the case has intensified scrutiny of how Nigeria’s electoral body manages sensitive voter information at a time of growing political competition and rising digital risks.