By Karen James
On Monday, the House of Representatives joint committee investigating the N15 million bribery allegations involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS) held a pivotal hearing regarding the controversial transfer of popular social media figure, Bobrisky, from the Medium Correctional Centre to the Maximum Correctional Centre in Ikoyi.
The hearing follows allegations that Bobrisky, real name Idris Okuneye, bribed officials to secure his release from prison after serving only 10 days of a six-month sentence for Naira abuse. The EFCC and NCS have been accused of receiving a N15 million bribe to drop money laundering charges against him, as revealed by a leaked audio recording. Bobrisky, noticeably absent from the hearing, has denied any wrongdoing.
During the session, Deputy Controller General of the NCS, Michael Benson, who oversees the Medium Correctional Centre, detailed the reasons behind Bobrisky’s transfer. However, the committee, led by Chairman Ginger Onwusibe, expressed dissatisfaction with the explanation, demanding more transparency from the NCS. The committee specifically questioned whether it was customary for inmates to make donations to the facility, to which the NCS representatives responded in the negative.
In response to concerns surrounding Bobrisky’s prison stay, the committee issued a directive for the NCS to provide CCTV footage of the time Bobrisky spent in their custody. This move is aimed at corroborating or dispelling suspicions of irregularities in his prison treatment.
Representatives from the EFCC and NCS were present during the hearing, along with Martins Vincent Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, who had earlier claimed that Bobrisky paid for leniency. After initially declining to testify due to Bobrisky’s absence, VeryDarkMan eventually agreed to submit evidence, including voice recordings, chats, and bank transactions that supported his allegations.
The EFCC has launched its own internal investigation into the bribery claims, while the Minister of Interior has separately initiated a probe into whether prison officials were involved in any unlawful dealings. The case continues to draw widespread attention as both the EFCC and NCS strive to clear their names amidst growing public scrutiny.
