The Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC), says it is Investigating a data Breach involving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following the release of actor Emeka Ike’s personal data, allegedly by the media aide to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka.
National Commissioner of the NDPC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji disclosed this at a media roundtable with some select Journalists on Friday in Abuja, as part of the commission’s Third Anniversary.
Olatunji said both INEC and Olayinka were being investigated over the incident, which he described as a matter of urgent priority given its importance for the credibility of the nation’s electoral database ahead of the upcoming elections.
“We are investigating the INEC and Lere Olayinka on the data breach that has to do with Emeka Ike’s personal data that has been made public by Lere Olayinka,” he said. “Look at the likely outcome that we now prioritise the one of INEC, which is really sensitive, we are moving towards elections. It speaks to the credibility of the database. It’s of utmost urgency. And we are moving immediately.
He disclosed that representatives of INEC had appeared before the Commission in each of the proceeding two weeks as part of the investigation, adding that no individual or organisation, regardless of status, was exempt from NDPC’s scrutiny.
“No matter how big you are, we invite you, and we take the necessary actions,” he said, citing the Commission’s past handling of cases involving Meta, TikTok, Temu, Remita, and Sterling Bank as examples of its even-handed approach.
Olatunji, however, cautioned against premature conclusions, stressing that the Commission does not pronounce anyone guilty before due process is followed.
“We have to be very diligent and not push out a wrong narrative out there until even when you go to court, until you are proven guilty. You can’t pronounce anybody guilty. So that’s why we are very meticulous in the way we carry out investigations,” he said.
On the Commission’s broader achievements, Olatunji said NDPC has generated over N8billion for the Federal Government and helped build a data protection ecosystem worth N12 billion over the past four years.
He added that the Commission is collaborating with the National Universities Commission (NUC) to integrate data protection into the national educational curriculum and other sectors of society, as part of efforts to build a trustworthy data ecosystem that attracts investment and strengthens confidence in Nigeria’s digital economy.
