Bobrisky: Urgent Task Before Minister Tunji-Ojo

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, last week ordered a thorough investigation into allegations by a popular crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, who was quoted as claiming that after his sentencing recently, his godfather, in collaboration with the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), arranged for him to serve his six-month sentence in a private apartment.

The allegation by Bobrisky is not only damning but shows the level of rot in NCoS.

A few years ago, a national newspaper reported that prison officials allowed convicts sentenced to prison terms or suspects ordered to be remanded by the courts to stay in private apartments or to go home after collecting bribes from them.

There was also another case where a convict was reported to have impregnated his wife while he was supposed to be serving prison term.

Though the minister has suspended two officials of NCoS over the allegation – Michael Anugwa, deputy controller of corrections in charge of Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kiri-kiri, Lagos, and his counterpart at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Sikiru Adekunle – he must get to the bottom of the investigation of the allegation.

He will definitely etch his name in the history books of Nigeria if he is able to break the jinx and expose those who perpetrate this alleged malfeasance.

There is also an EFCC angle to the allegation. Bobrisky had equally claimed that he paid N15million to officials of the agency for the money laundering charges filed against him to be dropped.

The commission must ensure that it thoroughly investigates the allegation and bring the culprits to justice.

The allegations of bribery against its officials are too common, and Nigerians do not always see any action taken against them.