Bobrisky didn't serve jail term in prison, paid N35 million for VIP treatment

Nigeria’s most popular crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, a.k.a Bobrisky, is back in the news.

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Over the weekend, the Baale of Kirikiri,Babalola Shabi, accused officials of the Nigerian Correctional Services of aiding Bobrisky to secure VIP treatment during his stay in prison, the Punch Newspaper is reporting.

The Baale of Kirikiri, popularly known as “Baale No Nonsense,” has alleged that Bobrisky, through the aid of the officials of the correctional services, smuggled eight Automated Teller Machine cards into the correctional facility in Kirikiri, after which he used them to smuggle the sum of thirty-five million naira (#35,000,000) through a point of sales operator around the area. This he used to grease the palms of the officials for preferential treatment.

Mr Shabi made the new shocking revelations at a town hall meeting by the Lagos Police Command at an event for celebrating and marking the national police week.

According to Mr Shabi, Bobrisky never served his sentence behind bars. He was, instead, housed in a private apartment outside the perimeters of the correctional facility. He also alleged that the crossdresser had the officials of Kirikiri make the arrangements. “Before the truth came out, everyone believed he was in Kirikiri serving his time. But the reality is that Bobrisky was living comfortably outside the prison walls, thanks to a criminal collaboration involving some officials,” he said.

He categorically stated that his intervention was what brought the truth to light. He said he invited all the POS operators to his palace, and as the truth unravelled, he got the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to swoop in on the case.

“I personally called in the EFCC after I summoned the POS operators to my palace. From there, they were able to trace the transactions and decode the money trail,” he said.

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The Baale alleged that the operation was one of ease as officials of Kirikiri would go to a particular POS terminal and used the crossdresser’s ATM card to withdraw for him

He said that close attention was carefully paid to the operation. “It was shocking how N35 million could be sourced from around here so quickly. This was not a one-person job. The officials who aided him have been suspended,” Mr Shabi added.

Enter SSS, EFCC

Furthermore, he disclosed that the property where Bobrisky was allegedly kept during the period had since been identified and demolished and that the State Security Services and EFCC had interrogated him over the incident.

“The DSS first invited me for questioning, and I told them everything I knew. The EFCC also reached out, and I gave them my full cooperation. As a community leader, I cannot allow this impunity to go unchecked,” he said.

READ ALSO: ‘EFCC are the most wicked people in Nigeria’ — Bobrisky blows hot

His account contradicts a report earlier presented by a National Assembly panel, which stated that while Bobrisky enjoyed preferential treatment, he remained in prison premises throughout his term.

However, this contradicts the revelations controversial social critic Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, shared through a voice note allegedly belonging to Bobrisky that he paid N15 million to some EFCC officials to drop the money laundering charge against him.

In the audio, Bobrisky also claimed that a “godfather,” alongside staff members of the Nigerian Correctional Service, ensured he served the six-month sentence in a private apartment and not in prison.

Bobrisky was sentenced to six months imprisonment in 2024 for abusing the Naira and released from prison in August of that year.

A panel had been set by the national Assembly to investigate whether or not he ever stayed out of the facility. It was gathered he was given preferential treatment but no evidence indicates that he stayed outside the confines of the facility.