Detectives from the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team have interrogated the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Lere Olayinka, in connection with an alleged unlawful disclosure of voter registration data.
An Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) official was also taken into custody as part of the ongoing investigation.
Security sources said the probe was launched following a petition alleging cyber-related offences, including the alleged exposure of confidential voter information belonging to Nollywood actor Emeka Ike.
The petition reportedly accused those involved of conspiracy, unlawful access to restricted electoral records, and actions capable of disturbing public peace.
According to investigators, the detained INEC officer, who serves in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), is suspected of improperly accessing and sharing sensitive voter registration details during a politically tense period linked to a party primary election.
The incident allegedly began on May 29, 2026, when protesters stormed the INEC office in AMAC, demanding clarity over alleged irregularities in an ongoing political process.
During the confrontation, the electoral officer reportedly reviewed internal records and identified Emeka Ike as having recently initiated a voter registration transfer that was still pending approval.
Sources further claimed that the officer instructed a subordinate to capture a screenshot of the record from an INEC voter enrolment device, after which the information was allegedly transmitted through social media channels, including Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, to Olayinka.
Another source said Olayinka acknowledged receiving materials related to the protest and voter registration issue after initially sharing videos of the demonstration online.
He was later invited by the police for questioning and subsequently granted administrative bail, while the INEC official remains in custody.
Olayinka confirmed his invitation by investigators but declined to comment further.
The matter intensified after Olayinka posted content on social media questioning Emeka Ike’s eligibility to contest elections in Abuja, an action that sparked public backlash and allegations of data privacy violations.
The controversy has since drawn wider political reactions and continues to be investigated by security authorities.
