The Department of State Services (DSS) has joined ongoing investigations into an alleged breach of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) voter database, as the electoral body intensifies efforts to trace the source of the leak to internal access points within its system.

The development follows growing concerns over the circulation of sensitive voter information linked to a candidate in a recent political party primary in the Federal Capital Territory, raising fresh questions about data security within Nigeria’s electoral infrastructure.

INEC, in a statement, confirmed that preliminary findings from its ongoing audit suggest the incident did not result from external hacking but rather from authorised credentials that may have been misused by an insider within its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) system.

The commission explained that its investigation has identified a specific user account linked to the access and disclosure of the disputed voter information, and relevant personnel have already been questioned as part of internal disciplinary and forensic procedures.

According to INEC, the DSS is now conducting an independent security review alongside the commission’s internal probe, with both agencies working to determine whether the incident was an act of negligence, sabotage, or deliberate misuse of official access rights.

INEC also assured the public that there has been no compromise of its broader voter database containing millions of registered voters nationwide, stressing that the issue is limited to a specific record accessed under controlled system privileges.

The electoral body said it is reviewing its internal access protocols and cybersecurity framework to prevent future breaches, while reinforcing compliance standards across all departments handling voter data.

Civil society groups and political stakeholders have continued to call for transparency and accountability, warning that any breach of voter data could undermine public trust in the electoral process ahead of future elections.

Investigations by both INEC and the DSS are ongoing, with authorities expected to announce further findings as forensic analysis of system logs and user activities progresses.