The House of Representatives Committee on Corruption is set to visit the Lagos offices of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) on Monday, October 21, 2024.
The visit comes as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of corruption within the two agencies, following claims made by Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky.
Bobrisky, a well-known crossdresser, made these allegations in a recorded conversation that was made public by social media influencer Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan.
The committee, headed by Ginger Onwusibe, is investigating claims that Bobrisky paid a large sum of money to avoid serving time in prison for money laundering charges.
Bobrisky was sentenced by the Federal High Court in Lagos on April 5, 2024, to six months in prison for abuse of the naira.
However, it was later alleged that he received special treatment while in custody and did not serve his sentence in a prison facility. Instead, he was reportedly kept in a private apartment due to his influential connections.
In light of these allegations, Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered a probe into the matter. This led to the suspension of two top officials from the Medium and Maximum Security Custodial Centres in Kirikiri, Lagos State, namely Michael Anugwa and Sikiru Adekunle.
During a hearing earlier this month, Otse presented an audio recording in which Bobrisky allegedly confessed to staying in a private apartment during his supposed prison sentence, stating that his godfather intervened to keep him out of prison. Otse also claimed that Bobrisky had paid N15 million to resolve his legal issues.
The EFCC and the NCoS have strongly denied these allegations, but the committee is determined to get to the bottom of the matter. Bobrisky has yet to publicly testify before the committee, but lawmakers plan to summon him after their visit to Lagos.
Otse, who brought these accusations to light, initially refused to answer questions during the investigative hearing, demanding that Bobrisky be held accountable publicly as well. He eventually agreed to cooperate after assurances from his lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, and members of the committee.
The House Committee’s visit to Lagos next week will include stops at the EFCC office and the correctional facility. The committee aims to gather more evidence before inviting Bobrisky to share his side of the story.
Speaking on the matter, Chairman Onwusibe confirmed, “We are visiting the correctional centre in Lagos and the EFCC office in Lagos on Monday next week (October 21). After our visit, we shall resume hearing.”
