The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended an electoral officer following an internal investigation into a viral data breach involving sensitive voter information.

The INEC National Commissioner in charge of Voter Education and Publicity, Malam Mohammed Haruna, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja.

Haruna spoke at a cross-sectorial interactive session organised by the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) in partnership with Legis360.

Addressing recent public concerns over the safety of the commission’s database, he assured Nigerians that the electoral umpire maintains strict data protection protocols and internal accountability mechanisms.

According to him, the data breach was not the result of an external cyberattack or a compromise of its central infrastructure. Instead, internal audits revealed that an electoral officer with authorised access credentials intentionally leaked the sensitive data to settle a personal vendetta against a political actor.

To safeguard the integrity of the institution, the commission confirmed that the implicated official has been placed on immediate suspension while formal disciplinary procedures are carried out.

Furthermore, INEC disclosed that the matter has been officially reported to the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) in line with statutory requirements under the Nigeria Data Protection Act.

The National Commissioner added that the case has also been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS), who are currently finalizing their criminal investigations into the insider breach.

INEC reiterated its commitment to protecting voters’ privacy, stressing that any staff member who compromises institutional trust for personal or political motives will face the full weight of the law. (NAN)