By Ken Chiwendu
The Federal Government on Monday inaugurated a committee to probe allegations of gross misconduct against the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) by crossdresser Idris Okuneye popularly called Bobrisky.
The Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo inaugurated the independent investigative panel.
He said “We want to really reform the correctional service. Your core responsibility is to investigate specific allegations of corruption, torture, and mistreatment of inmates by correctional officers, especially the immediate one on Bobrisky which I expect to be out in 2 weeks,”
“We will rely on your legal guidance to be sure that whatever we do is in line with the law of the land. We will rely on you to be able to come up with the way forward, as well as facts that would be made public to Nigerians. I want to say this very clearly, nobody will be shielded. Nobody, no matter how highly placed, will be shielded,”
According to a statement from the ministry,the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Magdalene Ajani is chair of the panel.
Other members include Omotese Eva (Mrs.), Director Legal; Nasir Usman, Director, Joint Services; Dr. Uju Agomoh, President, Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA) who is a former Board Member of the International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA); and Dr. Ikechukwu Ezeugo, Human Rights Radio consultant, a Forensic Researcher and Social Impact Expert with over 27 years experience in corporate leadership.
It will be recalled that the minister who is the Chairman of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) suspended several officers overseeing the maximum and minimum custodial Centres in Kirikiri, Lagos State following allegations credited to Bobrisky that he served his sentence in a VIP facility not in prison
A blogger and social media influencer,Martins Otse known as VeryDarkMan had released an audio conversation where the cross driver alleged that he served . But Bobrisky claimed the audio was generated by VeryDarkMan with the aid of Artificial intelligence to tarnish his image.
The crossdresser even slammed a N1bilion lawsuit against Otse which the latter dismissed with a wave of hand.
Bobrisky was sentenced to six months in prison for naira abuse in February, 2024.
