A fresh controversy has emerged surrounding the recent imprisonment of popular crossdresser Idris Okuneye, known as Bobrisky.
A traditional ruler in Lagos accused the Nigerian Correctional Service officials of enabling the socialite’s alleged bribery scheme for VIP treatment during his time in custody.
The Baale of Kirikiri Town, Chief Babalola Shabi, also known as “Baale No-Nonsense,” claimed that Bobrisky smuggled eight ATM cards into the Kirikiri Correctional Centre and used them to transfer a total of N35 million through local Point of Sale (POS) operators.
This money was reportedly used to bribe prison officials for special privileges.
Shabi made this revelation at a town hall meeting organized by the Lagos State Police Command on Saturday, part of National Police Week events.
He said Bobrisky never truly served his sentence in prison but instead resided in a private apartment arranged by corrupt correctional officials.
“Before the truth came out, many believed he was in Kirikiri serving his time. But the reality is, Bobrisky was living comfortably outside the prison walls, thanks to the criminal collaboration of some prison officers,” Shabi stated.
He added that it was through his efforts that the scandal came to light. After calling together POS operators in the community, he invited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which traced the financial transactions back to Bobrisky.
“I personally contacted the EFCC after gathering the POS operators. They were able to track the transactions and uncover the money trail,” he said.
Shabi explained that the bribery scheme involved correctional officers requesting POS vendors to withdraw funds from Bobrisky’s ATM cards, and the speed at which the N35 million was raised pointed to an organized group of collaborators.
“It was astonishing how quickly N35 million could be withdrawn. Clearly, this was not a one-man operation. The officials involved have been suspended,” he added.
He also revealed that the property where Bobrisky was allegedly kept during his time in custody had been identified and demolished. Both the Department of State Services (DSS) and EFCC have interrogated him about the incident.
“The DSS first invited me for questioning, and I shared everything I knew. The EFCC also reached out, and I fully cooperated. As a community leader, I cannot let such misconduct go unchallenged,” Shabi explained.
The account, however, contradicts an earlier report from a National Assembly panel, which claimed that Bobrisky, while receiving special treatment, remained within the prison during his sentence.