An investigative panel established by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has revealed that Nigerian crossdresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, was granted special privileges while in custody at the Medium and Maximum-Security Custodial Centres.
The panel, which is chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Magdalena Ajani, is investigating allegations of corruption and misconduct within the Nigerian Correctional Service. During the presentation of the phase one report in Abuja, Uju Agomoh, a member of the panel and Executive Director of Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), disclosed details of Bobrisky’s preferential treatment.
Agomoh confirmed reports shared by social critic Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, which suggested Bobrisky’s "godfather" and Nigerian Correctional Service staff enabled him to serve his six-month sentence in a private apartment instead of prison. According to the panel, Bobrisky was given furnished single cells, access to a humidifier, frequent visits from family and friends, self-feeding privileges, designated inmates to run errands, and access to a refrigerator, television, and possibly his phone.
The panel raised concerns about whether these privileges were financially motivated and driven by corruption within the correctional service. Agomoh emphasized that Bobrisky’s transfer to a maximum-security facility as a first offender violated Sections 164A and 164B of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act of 2019.
Further investigations will focus on whether the correctional officers involved in Bobrisky's case violated any ethical standards in granting such privileges, and the panel aims to address broader issues of corruption within the Nigerian Correctional Service.
