The House of Representatives' joint committee investigating a N15 million bribery allegation involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) has directed the NCS to provide CCTV footage of Bobrisky's time in prison. This decision was reached during an investigative hearing on Monday, where NCS officials explained that Bobrisky, whose real name is Idris Okuneye, was transferred from the Medium Correctional Centre to the Maximum Correctional Centre in Ikoyi after ten days.
Deputy Controller General of NCS, Michael Benson, who oversees the Medium Correctional Centre, made this disclosure. However, the committee, led by Chairman Ginger Onwusibe, was not satisfied with the explanation, especially regarding the transfer and whether it was customary for the NCS to accept donations from inmates. The NCS representatives denied such practices. The committee issued a directive to obtain the CCTV footage to further scrutinize Bobrisky's prison stay.
The investigation began after a leaked audio recording suggested that Bobrisky had paid N15 million to the EFCC to drop money laundering charges. Bobrisky had been sentenced to six months in prison for Naira abuse but allegedly did not serve the full sentence. During the hearing, popular social media activist, Martins Vincent Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, was present, along with representatives from the EFCC and NCS. However, Bobrisky was notably absent from the proceedings.
The EFCC has also launched an internal investigation into the bribery allegations, while the Minister of Interior is conducting a separate inquiry into claims that Bobrisky bribed prison officials. VeryDarkMan, who initially hesitated to testify due to Bobrisky's absence, later agreed after being persuaded by the committee and consulting with his lawyer. In his testimony, he stood by the claims made in the leaked audio recording, submitting evidence that included voice recordings, chats, and bank transactions to support his allegations.
The committee's decision to request CCTV footage underscores their commitment to uncovering the truth behind the bribery allegations and Bobrisky's alleged preferential treatment in prison. The investigations by both the EFCC and the Ministry of Interior are ongoing as the case continues to unfold.
