The spokespersoson to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Lere Olayinka was grilled by detectives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team, just as an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) official has been arrested in connection with the alleged unauthorised release of a voter’s registration record.
The PUNCH quotes the police sources revealing that the arrested 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.
21st CENTURY CHRONICLES reports that the investigation began following a petition alleging cyber-related offences and the unauthorised disclosure of confidential documents containing the personal information of actor Emeka Ike.
The sources further revealed that “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.
The security source said the incident started on May 29, 2026, when demonstrators assembled at the AMAC INEC office, alleging irregularities in an the just concluded primary election, adding that this prompted the AMAC electoral officer to check the INEC portal and accessed Emeka Ike’s details, .
He said the official ordered a subordinate to take a screenshot of the applicant’s details from the INEC Voter Enrolment Device.
The police sources further revealed that “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 said the information was shared with Olayinka after both men established contact through Facebook Messenger before continuing their conversation on WhatsApp.
He said “Angered by the blockade of his office, the electoral officer was provoked by the blockade of his office, adding that this force d him to ask a junior staff member under him to take the 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 quoted Olayinka, in his statement, saying 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.
“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 police sources further revealed, adding that 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, addingthat Olayinka was granted administrative bail after questioning.
Olayinka said he was invited and had honoured the invitation, but refused to speak on the matter further.
“I was invited yesterday, and as a law-abiding citizen, I honoured the invitation,” he said.
He, however, declined further comments on the matter.
