Detectives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team have questioned the Senior Special Assistant on Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Lere Olayinka and detained an Independent National Electoral Commission official over the alleged unauthorised release of a voter’s registration record.
Police sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly, said the investigation was triggered by a petition alleging cyber-related offences and the unauthorised disclosure of confidential documents containing the personal information of actor Emeka Ike.
Sources said the detained official, an electoral officer with INEC assigned to the Abuja Municipal Area Council, is under investigation for allegedly disclosing confidential voter registration records in connection with a political controversy that emerged during a party primary election.
“We have had the Electoral Officer for the Abuja Municipal Area Council in our custody since yesterday.
“Also, Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, was invited and questioned over the Emeka Ike matter.
“A top security aide to the INEC chairman petitioned the police over allegations of criminal conspiracy, cyber intimidation, the leaking of classified documents, and conduct likely to breach public peace, all of which are connected to the Emeka Ike case,” one of the sources told our correspondent.
According to the security source, the incident began on May 29, 2026, when protesters gathered at the INEC office in AMAC, alleging irregularities in an ongoing primary election.
The source said following the protest, the AMAC electoral officer checked the INEC portal and accessed Emeka Ike’s details, adding that the official directed a subordinate to obtain a screenshot of the applicant’s details from the INEC Voter Enrolment Device.
“The leak occurred on May 29, 2026, when a group of political actors spearheading a protest under a political party banner blocked the exit gate of the INEC AMAC office with vehicles, behaving aggressively and alleging irregularities in an ongoing primary election.
“Following the hostility, the AMAC Electoral Officer discovered through administrative channels that one of the primary actors leading the aggressive protest, identified as Emeka Ike, a popular Nollywood actor, had only recently initiated a voters’ registration transfer from Imo State, an application that had not even been officially approved by the commission.”
The source added that the information was shared with Olayinka after both men established contact through Facebook Messenger before continuing their conversation on WhatsApp.
“Angered by the blockade of his office, the Electoral Officer, instead of following official protocols, instructed a subordinate staff member under him to capture a screenshot of the applicant’s confidential data directly from the INEC Voter Enrolment Device.
“The Electoral Officer subsequently spoke with the FCT minister’s spokesman on Facebook Messenger. They moved on to chat on WhatsApp, where the classified voter registration document was sent to Wike’s aide,” the source said.
Another source said Olayinka, in his statement, said he had posted videos of the protest on social media and was later contacted by the electoral officer, who complained that INEC was being unfairly criticised by protesters.
The source said, “In his statement, Olayinka admitted that he had posted a video of the political protest at the AMAC office on his social media pages.
“He explained that the AMAC Electoral Officer, whom he did not previously know, contacted him via Facebook Messenger to vent his anger that INEC was being blackmailed by protesters who were not even validly registered voters in the FCT.
“Olayinka admitted that the INEC official promised to send proof of the temporary voter’s card, which was subsequently delivered via WhatsApp.”
The source said the electoral officer subsequently deleted portions of the WhatsApp conversation after the leaked document generated public controversy.
“Forensic analysis recovered the deleted communications,” the source added.
While the electoral officer remained in custody, the source said Olayinka was granted administrative bail after questioning.
When contacted, Olayinka confirmed he was invited and had honoured the invitation.
“I was invited yesterday, and as a law-abiding citizen, I honoured the invitation,” he said.
He, however, declined further comments on the matter.
The controversy began on May 30 when Olayinka posted on X that actor and politician Emeka Ike had only recently transferred his voter registration from Imo State to the Federal Capital Territory.
In the post, Olayinka questioned Ike’s eligibility to contest for a House of Representatives seat in Abuja, stating that the actor had transferred his registration to the FCT on May 15, 2026.
Olayinka attached two images to the post, which sparked criticism from social media users who alleged that the documents contained information sourced from INEC’s restricted administrative portal.
Following the disclosure, Ike accused Olayinka of exposing his personal data and indicated his readiness to pursue legal action over the alleged breach.
The incident subsequently attracted reactions from the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, among others.
