The investigation by the House of Representatives Committee into allegations of corruption against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has gained significant attention due to the involvement of crossdresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky. The controversy stems from claims that Bobrisky allegedly paid ₦15 million to avoid facing money laundering charges and that he received preferential treatment while serving his sentence for abusing the naira.
The committee, chaired by Ginger Onwusibe, is set to visit the Lagos offices of both the EFCC and the NCoS on Monday, October 21, 2024, to gather more information regarding these allegations. This follows testimony from social media influencer Martins Otse (VeryDarkMan), who released audio recordings suggesting that Bobrisky did not actually serve time in prison but stayed in a private apartment after allegedly paying a bribe.
In one recording, Bobrisky purportedly claimed to have secured the apartment due to his connections and paid ₦5 million upfront to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in hopes of securing a federal pardon over the money laundering charges. The EFCC and NCoS officials denied these allegations during their October 1, 2024, interrogation by the panel.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has responded by suspending two top officials at the Kirikiri Custodial Centre over these claims. Meanwhile, Otse, who initially hesitated to testify, eventually agreed to speak before the committee on the condition that Bobrisky also be required to tell his side of the story.
Before consenting to speak at the hearing, Otse initially resisted, demanding that Bobrisky face the public similarly. After discussions involving his counsel, Deji Adeyanju, and committee members, he agreed to cooperate with the investigation, pending assurances that Bobrisky would also be required to tell his side of the story publicly.
Speaking with Punch on Monday on when the panel would invite Bobrisky for questioning, Onwusibe, who represents Isiala Ngwa North/Isiala Ngwa South Federal Constituency of Abia State, said a date would be fixed as soon as the committee returned from a visit to Lagos.
“We are visiting the correctional centre in Lagos and the EFCC office in Lagos on Monday next week (October 21). After our visit, we shall resume hearing,” he said.
The next steps of the investigation will likely depend on the findings from the Lagos visit, after which the committee plans to schedule Bobrisky’s public questioning.
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