The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has ordered an unconditional and comprehensive investigation into the allegations of bribery and corruption within the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
This was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to the minister, Mr Babatunde Alao, in Abuja on Wednesday, September 25.
Alao stated that Tunji-Ojo unequivocally condemned the alleged reprehensible behaviour, emphasising that any form of indiscipline, unprofessionalism, and corruption would be met with zero tolerance and severe consequences within the paramilitary services under the ministry’s purview.
Although the Minister didn’t mention any name, the development followed reports that a crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, aka Bobrisky, who was sentenced to prison earlier this year, did not serve his jail term inside the correctional centre.
The statement further states that “The ministry will not tolerate any compromise on its core values of integrity, transparency, and accountability. We will leave no stone unturned in rooting out corruption and ensuring that those found culpable face the full wrath of the law.”
Meanwhile, the minister has constituted a special investigative team headed by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Magdalene Ajani, to probe the allegations and submit a comprehensive report.
Tunji-Ojo reassured Nigerians that the investigation would be rigorous, transparent, and impartial, and that appropriate disciplinary actions would be taken against any personnel found guilty.
This comes after activist, Very Dark Man, released a purported audio clip of Bobrisky telling an unidentified male that after his conviction on April 5, he was held in a private apartment close to the correctional facility after a godfather of his made a call to the boss of the Nigeria Prisons Service for him not to be held in the correctional facility as directed by the court that convicted him.
