cell

More details emerged on Friday on what transpired during the six-month jail term of popular cross dresser, Idris Okuneye, aka Bobrisky.

Investigations by Saturday PUNCH revealed that the controversial social media influencer after being sentenced for spraying the naira, was taken to the Ikoyi Custodial Centre on April 12, 2024.

Sources confided in our correspondents that the convict, who had prison number S682/2024, was taken to the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, as his presence began to attract attention and generate publicity.

A highly credible source said, “He was first moved to the Ikoyi prison where he spent a few days before the controller, Ben-Rabbi Freedman, moved him to the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri.”

Another top source confirmed Bobrisky’s movement from the Ikoyi facility to the Medium Security Custodial Centre, adding that he spent some days there before he was again moved to the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri.

The source explained that he was visited by some relatives in the prison, adding that there was a record of all his activities.

“Many people visited him in the place, including three family members. Those people followed due process and that was why they were able to see and visit him. I also saw him in the prison. He looked gentle and sober,” the source added.

The special ‘cell’

Saturday PUNCH gathered that there was usually provision for some inmates considered to be “Very Important Persons” who might be at risk if allowed to mingle with other inmates.

“The place is like a back cell or a single cell originally reserved for well-behaved inmates. This is in accordance with prison rules. They are put there to compensate for their good behaviour.

“However, when warders bring in certain people, they are taken there. They live whichever way they want. Some of the inmates furnish the place to their taste,” the source stated.

Asked the cost of using the room, the source noted that such was usually determined by the officer in charge of the centre.

“They collect huge sums of money from them, depending on the kind of inmates they have. When you saw the fight between operatives of the DSS and prison service for (Godwin) Emefiele on the court premises, what did you think was the reason? It’s because of the benefits that come with having such a person in custody,” the source added.

The source noted that Bobrisky might have been put in the “special cell” during his time in the Kirikiri prison.

Another source, who confirmed the existence of such an arrangement, said negotiations usually start from the court between inmates and prison officials.

The source said the correctional service knew what it wanted to do, hence Bobrisky was allegedly shielded from inmates when he was admitted.

He said, “Inmates who saw him at the medium prison before he was moved to maximum prison were not many. It was all planned.”

But the spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, Abubakar Umar, denied the report that there was preferential treatment for VIP convicts.

“We are not aware of such. They are alien to us. However, that information will be investigated. All inmates are given the same treatment. We don’t have any preferential treatment for anybody,” he insisted.

Efforts to get Bobrisky’s reactions proved abortive, as he did not respond to calls to his telephone line and messages sent to his official Facebook handle and WhatsApp on Friday night.

Controversial cross-dresser

Bobrisky has been in the eye of the storm since Wednesday, April 3, 2024, when operatives of the Lagos command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arrested and detained him over allegations of mutilating naira notes worth N490,000 and money laundering.

The arrest followed a viral video that showed him spraying naira notes at the premiere of the movie Ajakaju at Film One Circle Mall, Lekki, Lagos, on March 24, 2024.

He was subsequently arraigned at the Federal High Court in Lagos on six counts. The first four counts involved the abuse of the Nigerian currency, while the last two were on money laundering.

However, before the charges were read, the EFCC prosecutor, Mr Sulaiman Sulaiman, requested the court to strike out counts five and six.

“We have an agreement with the defendant to withdraw counts five and six. Therefore, we humbly urge the court to strike them out, leaving counts one to four,” he said.

The court then dismissed the two counts, and scheduled April 9, 2024, for judgement.

Bobrisky pleaded guilty to the remaining charges, and on Friday, April 12, 2024, Justice Abimbola Awogboro sentenced him to six months in prison without the option of a fine for abusing the naira.

While many Nigerians expected Bobrisky’s appearance to change following his time in prison, the controversial social media personality hosted a celebratory party just hours after his release on Monday, August 5, 2024.

Appearing more radiant than before, Bobrisky, in a viral video, boasted, “I came back from jail with a nice body,” prompting doubts about whether he truly served his sentence at a custodial centre or not.

The cross-dresser landed in fresh trouble on Tuesday when a social media activist, Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, called him out over an unpaid debt.

In a trending video, VDM said a creditor approached him, pleading for help in recovering N4m that Bobrisky borrowed.

The creditor reportedly sent Bobrisky the sum when the latter was desperate to raise money for a private apartment in prison. He, however, allegedly refused to repay the loan after his release.

VDM subsequently played an audio clip in which the ex-convict purportedly admitted to paying unnamed EFCC operatives N15m for dropping the money laundering charges against him.

Bobrisky also allegedly claimed in the audio that he served his six-month jail term in a private flat near the prison after a “mentor” spoke to the prison authorities in Abuja.

After the tape went viral, Bobrisky took to his Instagram page to deny making such claims, saying that the audio was fake.

He said, “I didn’t pay any EFCC official N15m, and I served my jail term in full. Disregard any false information being spread.”

Suspension without due process

As the scandal gained momentum, the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Wednesday, initiated a probe into the allegations.

The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board also suspended the officers in charge of the Maximum and Minimum Custodial Centres.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, the Secretary of CDCFIB, Ja’afaru Ahmed, said the suspension of the officers was to allow for further investigation into the various allegations, assuring that the outcome would be made public when concluded.

He said, “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.

“Michael Anugwa, Deputy Controller of Corrections In-Charge of Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos State; and Sikiru Adekunle, Deputy Controller of Corrections, in-charge of Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos State.

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

“In another related development, the Board has equally suspended another Senior Officer of the Service, Iloafonsi Kevin Ikechukwu, Deputy Controller of Corrections, In-Charge of Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje- Abuja, for allegedly receiving monies on behalf of an inmate”.

However, sources in the correctional service criticised the decision of the board to suspend the officers without due process

Saturday PUNCH learnt that Adekunle, who resumed at the maximum prison a few months ago, was not served a query like the rest of his colleagues.

“The action was a flagrant disregard for the civil service rules, which lays down the process for such a decision. None of the officers were served queries or allowed to defend themselves.

“Also, the board does not suspend directly. The queries are supposed to come from the correctional service, who will then make recommendations to the board.

“In addition, if there should be a suspension, it should be announced by the controller general of the correctional service,” a source said.

The source also wondered why the officers were singled out for punishment if Bobrisky’s allegation was against the controller general.

He noted that the panel constituted against the officers did not include any official of the correctional service, saying nothing would come out of it.

“It appears a grand scheme to cover up things. There is more to it than meets the eye,” the source said.

A spokesperson for the minister refused to comment on the matter.

The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said the commission’s Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, had ordered an investigation into the matter.

Oyewale said the commission had also invited VDM and Bobrisky to its Lagos office to assist investigators into the alleged bribery.

“We have said we are investigating. The chairman has ordered that the matter be investigated,” he stated.

When pressed further on how many people were being investigated, he said, “I may not be able to tell you that because I don’t know. I will find out from the chairman.”

Activists demand justice

The President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Debo Adeniran, expressed concerns over the alleged corruption in Nigeria’s correctional facilities.

He said the practice raised serious questions about the integrity of prison officials accused of accepting bribes to allow inmates live in luxury behind bars.

Adeniran stated, “Bobrisky has denied that the voice is his, but we’ve been hearing rumors that such practices are common among our safety and security agencies. It’s not the first time we’ve heard of convicted individuals being allowed to leave prison—some are even escorted to nightclubs or taken to visit their spouses, only to be returned when senior ministry officials visit the correctional centres.”

He added, “There is every indication that this could be true. Those familiar with his voice might confirm it. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about prison officials accepting bribes to let inmates live as they please. Corruption like this is why the problem is so endemic in Nigeria. Similarly, there have been reports of anti-graft agents taking bribes to reduce charges or lighten sentences for suspects.”

Adeniran urged the EFCC chairman to identify staff involved in corrupt activities, stressing the need for accountability.

He also emphasised the need for transparency, warning that unchecked corruption in correctional centres and anti-corruption agencies undermined the entire justice system.

“If we don’t address these issues, it will lead to a vicious cycle, and the next victim could be anyone. Authorities must not let this matter slip away.”

Similarly, a lawyer and rights activist, Ridwan Abdulkareem, called for the law to take its course if the allegations turned out to be true.

He highlighted the scrutiny now surrounding the EFCC, an institution meant to uphold justice, for alleged bribery and corruption.

“If these allegations are true, the EFCC officers involved must be held accountable. The EFCC, as a symbol of justice, is now facing accusations of bribery. If the officers are found culpable, they should face the law so that others may learn from it,” Abdulkareem said.

He also pointed out that while Bobrisky had denied the allegations, the law must be allowed to run its course.

 “Whether Bobrisky bribed officials with N15 million or not, and whether he served his jail term or not, are allegations. Section 36, Subsection 5 of the Nigerian Constitution is clear—he is presumed innocent until proven guilty. It’s up to those making the claims to prove them. The law doesn’t operate on sentiment, so let the facts be established, and let the law take its course,” he added.