The federal government has suspended two officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) following corruption allegations made by Mr. Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky.
In a statement released on Thursday evening, Ja’afaru Ahmed, Secretary to the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board, announced the suspension.
“Following the viral video trending on social media regarding alleged infractions by officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service related to Mr. Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board has suspended the following Senior Officers of the Service: Michael Anugwa, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC), In-Charge of the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Kiri-Kiri, Lagos State, and Sikiru Adekunle, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC), In-Charge of the Maximum-Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Kiri-Kiri, Lagos State,” the statement read.
On Tuesday night, popular influencer Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, released an audio recording in which Bobrisky allegedly claimed to have bribed officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with N15 million, as well as the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, to avoid serving a jail sentence.
Additionally, the Board suspended ASC II Ogbule Samuel Obinna, serving at the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC) in Afikpo, Ebonyi State, for allegedly escorting a convicted inmate out of the facility.
In a separate case, another Senior Officer, Iloafonsi Kevin Ikechukwu, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC), In-Charge of the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC) in Kuje, Abuja, was suspended for allegedly receiving money on behalf of an inmate.
The suspensions are intended to facilitate further investigations into these allegations. The Board assured that the outcomes will be made public once the investigations are concluded.