Minister Orders Probe Into Bobrisky Bribery Allegations As Falana Threatens Legal Action
On Wednesday, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered a thorough investigation into allegations of bribery within the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS). This directive follows a viral voice note shared by social media influencer Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, where Idris Okuneye (popularly known as Bobrisky) claimed that, after his conviction for abusing the naira in April, his godfather and the Controller General of the NCS arranged for him to serve his six-month sentence in a private apartment rather than a correctional facility.
Although the minister did not reference any specific case, his directive underscores the ministry’s commitment to ensuring transparency and addressing any misconduct within the paramilitary services under its watch. In the same voice note, Bobrisky allegedly stated that he paid a N15 million bribe to officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to drop money laundering charges, leaving only the naira abuse charges, which led to his conviction. He also claimed that human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and rapper Falz had contacted him to help seek a presidential pardon for a fee of N10 million.
Femi Falana, through his lawyer, denied any involvement with Bobrisky and issued a 24-hour ultimatum to VeryDarkMan to retract his statement. Falana’s legal team emphasized that their client had never spoken to Bobrisky on any matter, including the alleged pardon. A letter demanding a retraction and public apology was sent to the social media influencer, warning of legal consequences should the defamatory statements not be withdrawn.
In response to the growing controversy, Tunji-Ojo, through his media aide Alao Babatunde, condemned the alleged acts of corruption and unprofessionalism within the NCS. He emphasized that such behaviors would not be tolerated and that a special investigative team, headed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive probe into the allegations. The minister assured the public that the investigation would be transparent, rigorous, and impartial, with appropriate disciplinary action to be taken against any personnel found guilty of misconduct.
Meanwhile, Falana’s legal team maintains that the publication by VeryDarkMan was a reckless and unfounded attack on the SAN’s reputation. They warned that if the statement is not retracted, Falana would pursue legal action, including seeking monetary damages, to protect his integrity.
