Nigeria’s Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has announced that the investigation report concerning allegations of bribery and misconduct within the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), involving popular crossdresser Idris Okuneye, known as Bobrisky, will be ready next week.
Tunji-Ojo made the announcement during the official launch of a report addressing the situation of children and young adults deprived of liberty in Nigeria.
The probe was initiated following a viral video shared by activist VeryDarkMan, in which Bobrisky claimed to have bribed officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with N15 million to have money laundering charges dropped against her.
Bobrisky was released from prison on August 5 after serving a six-month sentence for abusing the naira. In the controversial footage, she alleged that her “godfather” and Haliru Nababa, the Controller General of the NCoS, facilitated her serving the sentence in a private apartment rather than a traditional prison. Although she denied the bribery claims, the federal government suspended several NCoS officials linked to the matter.
Tunji-Ojo acknowledged the dedication of many officers within the system but emphasized that the actions of a few would not compromise the integrity of the institution. “I don’t care about Bobrisky; it is about the system. There must be penalties for actions,” he stated, asserting that correctional centers should not be a source of disgrace for the Nigerian government. He confirmed the suspension of an officer implicated in the scandal, who has since been replaced.
The minister reiterated the need for accountability and reform within Nigeria’s correctional facilities, expressing his commitment to transforming the system. “This responsibility will be a springboard for a better tomorrow,” he declared, adding, “If I tell you that I am comfortable with what is happening at the correctional centers, I will be the greatest liar.”
In a recent SWOT analysis, Tunji-Ojo revealed that out of approximately 84,000 inmates in Nigeria, around 10 percent were imprisoned for failing to pay fines as low as N10,000.
He questioned the necessity of having 256 correctional centers, advocating for creative solutions and collaboration with the Ministry of Justice to explore non-custodial options for about 70 percent of inmates who are awaiting trial.
