Bobrisky’s case reflects systemic issues in Nigeria’s institutions 

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has said that the ongoing saga involving popular cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, known as Bobrisky, highlights deeper institutional problems within the country.

Bobrisky’s case has sparked widespread discussion following a viral video alleging he paid officials from the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to receive special treatment during his jail time for naira abuse.

Tunji-Ojo, addressing the issue on Channels Television’s Politics Today, explained, “When you have an institutional problem, you don’t just provide a knee-jerk approach to solving it.” He emphasized that a committee was established to investigate the matter, focusing not only on Bobrisky’s case but on broader institutional issues, including staff absconding and misconduct.

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“We cannot transfer today’s problem to the future,” he added, stressing the need for institutional reform.

Blogger Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, further alleged in viral videos that Bobrisky paid ₦15 million to some Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officers to drop money laundering charges related to his naira-spraying controversy in April. After his conviction, Bobrisky was sentenced to six months imprisonment, serving from April to August 2024. The blogger also claimed Bobrisky paid millions to secure preferential treatment in prison, which Bobrisky has denied.

Following these allegations, both the EFCC and NCoS launched investigations, and the House of Representatives called for a probe, prompting the Federal Government to suspend several senior NCoS officials.

On September 30, 2024, Tunji-Ojo inaugurated a committee to investigate alleged misconduct within the NCoS. The panel later reported that it found no evidence suggesting Bobrisky spent nights outside the custodial center during his imprisonment from April 12 to August 5, 2024, with his sentence including the standard remission time.