Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, popularly known as Bobrisky, a Nigerian transgender woman, reportedly spent only three weeks in prison despite receiving a six-month sentence for naira abuse in April, according to FIJ NG.
Recently, a social media user known as Martins Vincent Otse, or VeryDarkMan, shared a phone conversation in which Bobrisky admitted to serving her sentence outside of prison after allegedly paying N15 million to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to have charges of ‘money laundering’ dismissed against her.
This revelation has reignited discussions about corruption within Nigerian prisons, prompting Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo to call for an “unconditional and comprehensive investigation into allegations of bribery and corruption” within the Nigerian Correctional Service.
Sources familiar with the situation informed FIJ that although Bobrisky was taken to Kirikiri in April following her sentencing, she left after just three weeks and was officially released in August.
A prison official revealed, “Bob spent only three weeks here with us in Kirikiri before she was taken out to another place we don’t know. That was where she spent her time; it was an ‘arrange thing’. And money was involved.”
The source described how Bobrisky received VIP treatment during her time in custody, stating, “She was guarded like a president,” and noted that she lived in a special cell. They confirmed that the payment she mentioned was legitimate.
These claims align with findings from a 2019 undercover investigation by FIJ founder ‘Fisayo Soyombo, who discovered that it was possible to pay for luxuries such as furnished cells and the ability to bring in prohibited items while incarcerated.
An incident involving a video call highlighted the unusual circumstances surrounding Bobrisky’s imprisonment. A fellow inmate accidentally recorded her during a call, leading to severe punishment for him.
Confusion arose when James Brown, another crossdresser, claimed to have visited Bobrisky in prison on June 8. However, a source from James’ camp clarified that she was not in prison at that time. Instead, James visited another inmate to record a song.
As of now, the Nigerian Correctional Service has neither confirmed nor denied the allegations surrounding Bobrisky’s imprisonment.
However, the interior ministry announced the suspension of two deputy controllers of corrections for their handling of the case, signaling a move toward further investigation.