The Nigerian Federal Government suspends senior prison officials following allegations of bribery related to Bobrisky’s case.
A blogger, Martins Otse known as VeryDarkMan, had alleged in viral videos that some prison officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) collected ₦15 million from Bobrisky for the anti-graft agency to drop money laundering charges against him during his naira spraying ordeal in April after which a court sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment.
The blogger also alleged that Bobrisky paid some millions of naira to secure a choice place in prison.
Bobrisky has since denied the allegations while the EFCC and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) had ordered investigations into the allegations by the blogger.
In a statement on Thursday, the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board said the suspension of the officers followed a viral video on alleged infractions against them.
The statement which was signed by Ja’afaru Ahmed said the suspension of these officers is to allow for further investigation of the various allegations while assuring that the outcome would be made public when concluded.
The officers are “Michael Anugwa, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC), in charge of Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Kirikiri, Lagos State; and Sikiru Adekunle, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC), in charge of Maximum-Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Kiri-kiri, Lagos State.”
The Board has suspended ASC II Ogbule Samuel Obinna, serving at the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Afikpo, Ebonyi State, for allegedly accompanying a convicted inmate out of the Custodial Centre to a location outside the facility.
“In another related development, the Board has equally suspended another Senior Officer of the Service, Iloafonsi Kevin Ikechukwu, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC), In-Charge of Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Kuje- Abuja, for allegedly receiving monies on behalf of an inmate.”
Recall that EFCC Probes Bribery Claims, Summons Bobrisky, VeryDarkMan
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has invited Martins Otse, a.k.a VeryDarkMan, and Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, over bribery allegations against personnel of the Commission.
This is as the Chairman of the Commission, Ola Olukoyede, ordered an immediate investigation into the alleged bribery of some Prison Officials of the commission by Bobrisky.
In a viral video circulating online shared by Martins Otse, a.k.a VeryDarkMan, Bobrisky alleged that some unnamed officers of the EFCC collected the sum of N15,000,000 from him to drop money laundering charges against him.
Bobrisky was initially arraigned on six charges bordering on naira abuse and money laundering to the tune of N127,780,877.98.
The money was said to have been paid into his company’s account number 2830002929, domiciled in Eco Bank Plc between September 2021 and April 2024.
However, the offence was dropped following a prayer by the counsel for the EFCC, Suleiman Suleiman.
He had to the court that the commission had entered into an agreement with Bobrisky.
Suleiman was quoted to have said, “We have an agreement with the defendant, which will lead us to withdraw counts 5 and 6. In the circumstance, we’re humbly urging the court to strike out counts 5 and 6, leaving counts 1 to 4 alive.”
Bobrisky was, however, convicted of the abuse of the country’s currency.
However, in a statement on Tuesday, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale said the invitation of Bobrisky and VDM to its Lagos Directorate was to assist investigators unearth the alleged bribery.
Oyewale said, “The EFCC chairman has ordered an immediate investigation of alleged bribery allegations imputed to some Prison Officials of the Commission by Idris Okuneye(a.ka. Bobrisky) in a viral video circulating across the country.
Okuneye, an ex-convict had alleged in the video powered by VeryDarkMan that some unnamed officers of the EFCC collected the sum of N15,000,000 from him to drop money laundering charges against him.
“In a swift reaction, the EFCC’s boss has constituted a Team of Investigators to critically look into the allegations. To this end, the Commission hereby invites both Okuneye and Otse to make themselves available at its Lagos Directorate to assist investigators unearth the alleged bribery. “
Oyewale assured Nigerians that the allegations would be thoroughly investigated.
He said, “The EFCC wishes to assure the public that the allegations would be thoroughly investigated and the result of the findings made public accordingly. The Commission is committed to its core values of integrity, courage, professionalism and collaboration at all times.
