The Federal Government has promised not to bury the report submitted by the investigative panel on bribery allegations involving controversial cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, known as Bobrisky.
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who disclosed this on Monday, said the outcome of the investigation will be made public, emphasising that they have nothing to hide.
Tunji-Ojo, who expressed gratitude to the panel for their prompt response and commitment to the task, assured that the report would be followed by action.
He said, “We can’t afford to fail Mr. President and Nigerians at large, nor are we ready to truncate the nation’s promising future.”
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He added that any officer implicated in the report would undergo the necessary disciplinary process and be punished accordingly.
“This particular committee was set up three weeks ago, and we promised that the report would be ready in two weeks and that we would make it public.
“This is because we have nothing to hide; for us, this is about reforms, cleaning up processes, and ensuring we build strong institutions that will outlive each and every one of us. We recognise that the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) is a key institution within our judicial system.
“Furthermore, within the national security architecture, the NCoS is crucial. Therefore, any form of maltreatment, cruelty, corruption, abuse of power, or torture resulting in inhumane and degrading treatment will never be accepted,” the Minister stated.
Tunji-ojo added that the conclusion of the initial report marks the beginning of the second phase because, “We must reform and create a service that is corrective, transformational, and rehabilitative in nature—one that is not condemnatory and does not destroy inmates, but a service that rebuilds inmates and gives them a second chance at life.
“We should consider expanding the committee to enhance our ability to address and rectify any wrongdoings within the correctional service effectively,” he stated.
Recall that the investigative panel chaired by the Interior Ministry’s permanent secretary, Mrs .Magdalena Ajani, was constituted on September 30, 2024.
LEADERSHIP reports that the investigative panel’s findings revealed that the Bobrisky actually served his six-month jail term following his conviction over Naira abuse offences.
The panel, however, noted that Bobrisky was granted certain privileges during his time at the Kirikiri Medium Security Custodial Centre in Lagos.
The panel also found no evidence to support claims that the crossdresser bribed officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCos) to be allowed to stay in a rented apartment outside the prison.
LEADERSHIP recalls that Bobrisky was released from prison on August 5 after serving out his six-month jail term, following his sentencing on April 12 for violating laws regarding the abuse of the Naira notes.
The investigation was launched by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, following allegations stemming from a viral audio recordings shared by social media activist, Martins Otse, a.k.a. VeryDarkMan. In the audio, Bobrisky allegedly claimed to have bribed officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to drop money laundering charges against him.
Additionally, Bobrisky’s voice was heard claiming that a “godfather’ in connivance with the Controller General of the NCoS, Haliru Nababa, ensured that he served his sentence in a private apartment rather than a prison facility.
In response to public outry over the allegations, the Federal Government established the investigative panel on September 30. The panel was tasked with probing the alleged corruption and other violations within the Nigerian Correctional Service.
Presenting the findings from the first phase of the investigation on Monday, Uju Agomoh, the Executive Director and Founder of Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), confirmed that the panel found no evidence suggesting that Bobrisky spent his jail term outside of a custodial facility.
“The panel did not find any evidence thus far that suggested that Mr. Okuneye slept outside the custodial centre during the period of his imprisonment, which was from 12th April 2024 to the 5th August 2024,” Agomoh stated during a briefing at the Ministry of Interior in Abuja. She also noted that Bobrisky’s six-month sentence included the usual remission applicable to inmates.
The panel’s report cleared rumours of Bobrisky serving her sentence in a private apartment but confirmed that special privileges were afforded to the crossdresser during his time in custody.
Further details from the investigation may emerge as the panel continued its probe into alleged corruption within the NCoS.
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