A fresh wave of controversy has emerged following the recent imprisonment of renowned crossdresser Idris Okuneye, known as Bobrisky. A traditional ruler in Lagos has accused officials from the Nigerian Correctional Service of facilitating an alleged bribery scheme that allowed the socialite to receive preferential treatment during his time in custody. Chief Babalola Shabi, the Baale of Kirikiri Town—nicknamed "Baale No-Nonsense"—asserted that Bobrisky managed to smuggle eight Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards into the Kirikiri custodial facility, using them to transfer a total of N35 million to Point of Sale (POS) operators in the area, presumably to bribe prison officials for special treatment.
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Shabi made these claims during a town hall meeting hosted by the Lagos State Police Command on Saturday, as part of National Police Week festivities. He alleged that instead of serving his full sentence within the prison, Bobrisky was actually housed in a private apartment outside the facility, a supposed arrangement made by corrupt correctional officials. "Before the truth surfaced, everyone thought he was serving his time in Kirikiri. The reality is that Bobrisky was living comfortably outside prison walls, thanks to a collusive scheme involving certain officials," he stated. Shabi further shared that his efforts led to the exposure of the scandal, revealing that he invited all POS operators in his community to his palace, prompting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the matter. "I personally contacted the EFCC after gathering the POS operators at my palace. This led them to trace the transactions and uncover the money trail," he explained.
The traditional leader elaborated that correctional officers collaborated with POS vendors to withdraw cash from Bobrisky's ATM cards, highlighting the organized nature of the operation. "It was astonishing how quickly N35 million could be sourced from the area. Clearly, this wasn't the act of a single individual. Those officials who assisted him have since been suspended," Shabi noted. He added that the location where Bobrisky was allegedly kept during this time has been identified and demolished, and both the Department of State Services (DSS) and EFCC have conducted interviews with him regarding the incident. "I was first summoned by the DSS for questioning, where I shared everything I knew. The EFCC also reached out to me, and I fully cooperated. As a community leader, I cannot allow such impunity to persist," he stated. His account contradicts an earlier report from a National Assembly panel, which suggested that while Bobrisky received favorable treatment, he remained within the prison grounds throughout his sentence. The crossdresser was sentenced to six months in prison in 2024 for currency abuse and was released in August of that year. Additionally, controversial social critic Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, recently shared a voice note claiming that Bobrisky paid N15 million to certain EFCC officials to dismiss money laundering charges against him. In the recording, Bobrisky also alleged that a "godfather," alongside personnel from the Nigerian Correctional Service, ensured he served his six-month sentence in a private apartment rather than in prison.
Source@ Nairaland