The House of Representatives joint committee investigating the ₦15 million bribery allegations against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS) has demanded CCTV footage of Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, during his time in prison. This directive followed after revelations of Bobrisky’s mysterious transfer from the Medium Correctional Centre to the Maximum Correctional Centre in Ikoyi, Lagos.
At the hearing on Monday, October 1st, 2023, NCS representatives, led by Deputy Controller General Michael Benson, explained that Bobrisky had been moved to the Maximum Correctional Centre after serving just ten days at the Medium Correctional Centre. The committee, however, raised concerns about the legitimacy of the transfer and questioned the NCS’s policies on receiving donations from inmates, which the officials denied, according to Daily Trust.
Bobrisky, who was convicted for Naira abuse and sentenced to six months in prison, reportedly paid ₦15 million to the EFCC to drop pending money laundering charges. The allegations surfaced after a leaked audio recording suggested the bribe was facilitated to evade the full prison sentence. EFCC and NCS have since launched internal investigations into the matter, with the Minister of Interior also intervening.
Present at the hearing was Martins Vincent Otse, better known as VeryDarkMan, who stood by his earlier claims of corruption involving Bobrisky. He provided the committee with evidence, including audio recordings, chats, and bank transactions, to substantiate his allegations. Despite Bobrisky’s absence at the hearing, VeryDarkMan testified, saying that his initial refusal to speak was overturned after consultations with his legal team.
As the investigation unfolds, Nigerians await the outcome of the CCTV footage review, which could either vindicate or implicate officials involved in the bribery scandal.
