TDThe Village Boys Movement (VBM) has called for the immediate arrest, investigation, and prosecution of political aide Lere Olayinka and all individuals allegedly connected to the unauthorized access and publication of information obtained from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s restricted database.
This is contained in a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its leader, Maazi Tochukwu Ezeoke, popularly known as the Village Headmaster.
The group described the alleged breach as a grave threat to electoral integrity, citizens’ privacy, and Nigeria’s democratic process.
The demand follows controversy surrounding the public circulation of voter registration information allegedly retrieved from INEC’s restricted administrative portal.
VBM argued that no private individual, political operative, or public official has the legal authority to access, extract, or publish information from the electoral commission’s protected backend systems.
According to the movement, the issue transcends partisan politics and should be treated as a criminal matter requiring urgent attention from security agencies and electoral authorities.
“This is not politics. This is not propaganda.
“This is a crime,” the statement declared.
VBM insisted that Nigerians deserve a full explanation regarding how the information was accessed and whether other citizens’ records may have been similarly exposed.
The group raised concerns over the identity of those who may have facilitated the access.
It questioned whether there was any official authorization and how widespread the alleged breach could be.
The organization warned that the incident could erode public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system, particularly as preparations for the 2027 general elections begin to gather momentum.
“With the 2027 elections approaching, this breach strikes at the very heart of public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
“If political actors can gain access to sensitive voter information without consequence, then the credibility of future elections is placed in serious doubt,” the statement said.
VBM further cautioned that failure to hold those responsible accountable would create a dangerous precedent and encourage the misuse of electoral data for political purposes.
The group maintained that any perception of impunity could undermine confidence in the electoral process and weaken democratic institutions.
It urged INEC, law enforcement agencies, and other relevant authorities to launch a transparent investigation and ensure that anyone found culpable faces the full weight of the law.
The movement stressed that protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral infrastructure is essential to preserving democratic governance and ensuring free and fair elections.
“Justice must be served. Accountability must be enforced.
“The integrity of the 2027 elections must be safeguarded now,” Ezeoke stated.
As of the time of filing this report, neither INEC nor Lere Olayinka had publicly responded to the demands contained in the VBM statement.
The claims made in this statement issued by the Village Boys Movement have been confirmed by INEC.
All parties mentioned are entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence under the law.
