The Nigerian Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has ordered a thorough investigation into allegations of bribery and corruption involving the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
The probe follows claims that the Controller General of the NCoS, Mr. Haliru Nababa, was involved in a scheme to allow certain individuals to avoid prison sentences in exchange for bribes.
The directive for this investigation came after a social media post by popular influencer Martins Vincent Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, went viral.
In the post, Otse shared an audio recording in which Idris Okuneye, commonly known as Bobrisky, allegedly claimed to have paid N15 million to bribe officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the NCoS to avoid serving a jail term.
Tunji-Ojo expressed strong disapproval of these allegations, stressing that corruption and misconduct within the Correctional Service will not be tolerated.
“The Ministry will not tolerate any compromise on its core values of integrity, transparency, and accountability,” he said, emphasizing that those found guilty will face severe consequences.
To ensure that the investigation is carried out properly, Tunji-Ojo appointed a special investigative team to look into the allegations. The team will be led by Dr. Magdalene Ajani, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, who is expected to provide a detailed report on the findings.
The minister assured the public that the investigation will be thorough, transparent, and fair, with appropriate measures to be taken against anyone found guilty.
Bobrisky, who had been released from the Kirikiri Correctional Centre after serving a six-month sentence, responded to the viral audio recording. In a post on Instagram, he denied all allegations, stating, “I didn’t pay any EFCC money; it is a very big lie. I served my term in full and I came out. Discard any false information.”
Bobrisky was sentenced earlier this year by a Federal High Court in Lagos after pleading guilty to charges related to naira abuse. He had been in custody since April and was released in August, having completed his sentence.
