FG suspends senior prison officials over alleged involvement in Bobrisky saga

The federal goverment, through the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board has suspended several Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) senior officials following a viral video circulating on social media.

 This was made known in a statement made available on Thursday by Ja’afaru Ahmed, Secretary to the Board.

The video allegedly implicates the officers in misconduct related to Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky.

“Following the viral video trending on social media on alleged infractions by Officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service relating to Mr. Idris Okuneye, widely known as Bobrisky, the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board has suspended forthwith the following Senior Officers of the Service:

1. Michael Anugwa, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC), In-Charge of Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Kiri-kiri, Lagos State; and
2. Sikiru Adekunle, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC), In-Charge of Maximum-Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Kiri-kiri, Lagos State;

“Also, the Board has suspended ASC II Ogbule Samuel Obinna, serving at the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Afikpo, Ebonyi State, for allegedly accompanying a convicted inmate out of the Custodial Centre to a location outside the facility,” the statement partly reads.

In a related incident, Iloafonsi Kevin Ikechukwu, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC) at the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Kuje, Abuja, has been suspended for allegedly accepting money on behalf of an inmate.

The Board announced that these suspensions will allow for further investigations into the allegations. It also assured the public that the findings of the investigation will be made known once concluded.

Earlier, Tribune Online reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede on Tuesday initiated an investigation into bribery allegations made by Bobrisky against some Commission’s officers.

Similarly, the Federal House of Representatives, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, among others, have all demanded an inquiry into the allegations.

Reacting to the development on Instagram on Thursday, Bobrisky, who had earlier dismissed the audio recording as fake, revealed he is struggling with suicidal thoughts amid the N15 million bribery scandal.

READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE 

• External reserves hit 22-month high to $37.31bn —CBN

• Forex volatility significant threat to our operations —MAN

• VIDEO: Drama as Oba of Benin denies advising Oshiomhole against Obaseki’s 2016 candidacy