The Federal Government yesterday suspended two senior officers of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) over alleged infractions regarding the incarceration of celebrity cross-dresser Mr Idris Okuneye (aka Bobrisky).
It followed the release of a voice recording by a social media influencer, Martins Vincent Otse (a.k.a VeryDarkMan), in which Bobrisky purportedly claimed that he spent his jail time for naira abuse in a private apartment.
In the same audio, Bobrisky was heard saying that he bribed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with N15 million to drop money laundering charges against him.
EFCC Chairman Olu Olukoyede and Minister of Interior Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo had ordered investigations.
Yesterday, acting under the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board, the government said it suspended forthwith two senior officers directly connected with Bobrisky’s case.
In a statement by the Board’s Secretary, Ja’afaru Ahmed, two other officers were also suspended for similar misdemeanours in different facilities.
They are Michael Anugwa, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC) in charge of Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Kirikiri, Lagos; and Sikiru Adekunle, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC) in charge of Maximum-Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Kirikiri.
The Board also 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 Board has also suspended another Senior Officer, Iloafonsi Kevin Ikechukwu, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC), in charge of Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Kuje, for allegedly receiving monies on behalf of an inmate.
“The suspension of these officers is to allow for further investigation on the various allegations while assuring that the outcome would be made public when concluded,” the statement read.
Also yesterday, the House of Representatives said it would investigate the EFCC and the NCOs over the allegations.
The resolution followed a motion by Patrick Umoh (APC- Akwa Ibom).
“The house is disturbed by the damning allegations against Nigeria’s critical law enforcement agencies, the EFCC and the NCS, established by this hallowed chambers to fight corruption and incarcerate persons convicted of crime for correctional purposes.”
“Worried about the negative image and portrayal of Nigeria as a corrupt nation which Nigeria still struggle to redeem itself from such perception, a committee comprising of persons of unquestionable integrity to immediately probe the allegation be set up to investigate these allegations,” he said.
Bobrisky yesterday deleted all pictures and videos on his Instagram page.
In a Facebook post, he said he was contemplating suicide.
Bobrisky wrote: “I have never in my life thought about suicide in my life but now it is coming to my head seeing what human beings are doing to their fellow human just in the name you want to bring them down by force or because you don’t like them.
“I don’t need no sympathy from anyone. People I might have need sympathy from are my late parent. But who will fight for you? Friends? Haters you won.”
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) had also called for an independent probe by the National Security Adviser (NSA).