Emeka Ike: Police Question Wike’s Aide Lere Olayinka Over Alleged INEC Voter Data Leak

ABUJA, Nigeria — Operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) have reportedly questioned Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over the alleged leakage of voter registration data belonging to Nollywood actor Emeka Ike.

The interrogation is said to be part of an ongoing cybercrime and data privacy investigation launched following the circulation of screenshots containing details from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database.

The controversy began after Olayinka shared information relating to Emeka Ike’s voter registration status on social media, prompting widespread concerns over how the data was obtained and whether unauthorized access was used. The post triggered public debate about the security of citizens’ personal information stored by INEC.

INEC has since confirmed that it commenced a formal investigation into the incident, stressing that preliminary findings indicate the matter may involve the misuse of authorized access credentials rather than an external cyberattack on its systems. The electoral body stated that there is currently no evidence that its database was hacked.

Reports also indicate that an INEC staff member has been arrested and is being investigated in connection with the alleged unauthorized disclosure of voter information. Authorities are examining audit trails and access logs to determine how the data was accessed and shared.

The case has attracted significant public attention amid growing concerns over data protection, privacy rights, and the security of sensitive voter information ahead of future electoral activities.

Neither Olayinka nor security agencies have publicly disclosed the full details of the ongoing investigation. Authorities say inquiries are continuing and further actions will depend on the outcome of the probe.

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