The Nigeria Police Force has questioned Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over allegations surrounding the unauthorised disclosure of voter information obtained from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) database.
Newsonspot gathered that according to reports, Olayinka was interrogated on Tuesday at the Force Headquarters in Abuja by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged cyber-related offences involving INEC’s voter registration records.
Sources familiar with the investigation disclosed that authorities are examining claims of unauthorised access to sensitive databases, cyber infractions, and the circulation of restricted government documents. In connection with the case, police have also reportedly detained an INEC official believed to have played a role in the release of the information that triggered the controversy.
The investigation reportedly followed a petition submitted on behalf of INEC, alleging criminal conspiracy, cyber harassment, and the unlawful disclosure of classified documents.
The controversy began after Olayinka shared screenshots on his X account showing details of a voter registration transfer allegedly linked to Nollywood actor and politician Emeka Ike. The documents reportedly suggested that Ike had transferred his voter registration from Imo State to the Federal Capital Territory.
In his post, Olayinka questioned Ike’s eligibility to contest for a House of Representatives seat in the FCT, particularly following the actor’s criticism of the conduct of primaries within the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
The publication sparked widespread reactions, with many Nigerians questioning how the information was obtained. Some social media users alleged that the data may have originated from a restricted section of INEC’s voter registration system.
INEC, however, denied reports that its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database had been hacked, maintaining that the incident resulted from the alleged misuse of legitimate access credentials by an authorised user rather than an external cyberattack.
Sources close to the investigation further claimed that the INEC official involved contacted Olayinka through Facebook Messenger before forwarding the document via WhatsApp. The information was reportedly shared to demonstrate that Emeka Ike’s voter transfer request had only recently been initiated and was yet to receive final approval.
During questioning, Olayinka reportedly told investigators that he had no prior relationship with the electoral officer and was unaware that the document was classified or restricted. He also maintained that he was not informed the information was confidential when it was sent to him.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly launched a separate investigation into the matter. Authorities are examining possible offences ranging from criminal conspiracy and cyber-related violations to the unlawful disclosure of classified information and actions capable of disrupting public peace.
Investigations remain ongoing as security agencies determine whether any laws relating to data protection, cybersecurity, and the handling of official records were breached.
