FG panel clears Bobrisky of prison scandal allegations

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The Federal Government investigative panel has revealed that the convicted cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, served out his six-month prison sentence in custody.

Findings of the investigative panel contradicted an earlier report that Bobrisky was kept out of the custodial centre while serving his jail term in the Ikoyi Custodial Centre, where he was transferred to the Medium Custodial Centre and from the Medium Custodial Centre Kirikiri Apapa, Lagos, to the Maximum Custodial Centre Kirikiri Apapa, Lagos.

The interim report of the panel was received by the Minister of Interior Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo on Monday in Abuja.

The panel, however, confirmed that the crossdresser received certain privileges during his time behind bars, including access to his phone, visits by family and friends, and designated inmates to run errands for him.

Recall that Interior Minister Tunji-Ojo had inaugurated the panel about three weeks ago to probe allegations after controversial social critic, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, shared a voice note in which Bobrisky purportedly claimed that he bribed some Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials fifteen million naira to drop the money laundering charge against him.

The panels headed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, also had Dr. Uju Agomoh, the Executive Director and founder of Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), as its secretary.

Agomoh, while presenting the interim report to the Minister, stated that there was no evidence to support the allegations that Bobrisky stayed outside the prison during his sentence, which lasted from April 12, 2024, to August 5, 2024.

She clarified that Bobrisky served his six-month sentence with the usual remission applicable to such cases.

The Minister of Interior, while receiving the interim report, pledged to ensure full implementation of the same, stressing that all officers implicated would be punished accordingly.

Some officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) were earlier suspended to pave the way for a thorough investigation.

Tunji-Ojo commended members of the panel for their prompt response and commitment to the task, saying, “We can’t afford to fail Mr President and Nigerians at large, or are we ready to truncate the nation’s promising future?”

He vowed 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.

The interim report of the panel submitted to the Federal Government revealed that proper documentation of Okuneye Idris was not made prior, or as he was being transferred from Ikoyi Custodial Centre to Medium Custodial Centre, and from Medium Custodial Centre Kirikiri Apapa Lagos to the Maximum Custodial Centre Kirikiri Apapa, Lagos.

It noted that the documents were later provided on the 28th of September 2024 and backdated to the 12th of April 2024 and the 22nd of April 2024, respectively.

“These are in violation of sections 168 and 169 of the Nigerian Correctional Service Standing Order Custodial.

“The transfer of Mr Okuneye Idris from the Medium Security Kirikiri, Lagos, to the Maximum Security Kirikiri, Lagos, being a first offender, violated sections 16(4)(a) and (b) of the Nigerian Correctional Service 2019.

“The Panel also found that Mr Okuneye Idris enjoyed several privileges while in custody both at the Medium-Security and the Maximum-Security Custodial Centres, which include specially furnished single cells, a humidifier, lots of visitation by his family members and friends as he desired, visits by his family members and friends held inside the office of the in-charge of the custodial centre, a floor rug, self-feeding, a designated inmate to run errands for him, access to a fridge and television, and possibly access to his phone.

“It is necessary to further investigate if the above privileges provided for Okuneye Idris were financially motivated and based on corrupt practices by correctional officers.

“The panel believes that the peculiar case of the inmate and the inmate’s physical look and behaviour pose a threat, and the lack of laid-down rule for the treatment of such a case may have necessitated such privileges to be granted to Okuneye Idris.

“The Panel recommends that clear guidelines need to be set up to guide operations regarding such incidents in the future. Steps should be taken to avoid the obvious discriminatory practices in relation to the socio-economic levels and other status of inmates,” it stated.

“On the issue of Abdulrasheed Maina’s son sending money to the personal account of the Kuje Custodial Centre Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC) Kelvin Loafonsi Ikechukwu, this was found to be true.

“DCC Kelvin Ikechukwu mentioned the money paid into his personal account by Abdulrasheed Maina’s son was for the purpose of Abdulrasheed Maina’s health and welfare needs.

“The Panel is of the view that DCC Kelvin Iloafonsi Ikechukwu acted unethically and brought himself and the Nigerian Correctional Service to great disrepute by requesting and receiving money into his personal account from Abdulrasheed Maina’s son.

“Also, the Panel is of the view that even if the transfers were made with Abdulrasheed Maina’s approval, this is still a violation as DCC Kelvin Iloafonsi Ikechukwu’s conduct was not consistent with institutional regulations,” the report indicated.

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