Scandal Rocks Bobrisky’s Jail Term: N35m Bribery Ring, Secret Apartment Exposed — Lagos Chief Alleges
Fresh controversy has erupted over the incarceration of popular Nigerian crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, widely known as Bobrisky, following damning allegations from a traditional ruler in Lagos accusing Nigerian Correctional Service officials of enabling a bribery scheme for VIP treatment.
Chief Babalola Shabi, the Baale of Kirikiri Town — famously known as “Baale No-Nonsense” — made the claims during a town hall meeting organised by the Lagos State Police Command on Saturday, as part of the National Police Week activities.
According to Chief Shabi, Bobrisky allegedly smuggled eight ATM cards into the Kirikiri Custodial Centre and used them to funnel ₦35 million through local POS operators — reportedly to bribe correctional officers for preferential treatment.
“The truth is, Bobrisky never spent time inside Kirikiri prison,” the chief said. “He was living comfortably in a private apartment arranged by corrupt officials while everyone believed he was behind bars.”
Shabi stated that he personally uncovered the scheme by summoning all POS operators in the area to his palace. This led to the involvement of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which traced the suspicious transactions.
“It shocked me how quickly N35 million was pulled together. This was an organised operation,” he said, adding that the implicated officials had since been suspended and the apartment used was identified and demolished.
The Baale further disclosed that both the Department of State Services (DSS) and the EFCC questioned him over the incident, to which he offered full cooperation. “As a community leader, I cannot stand by while this level of impunity thrives,” he declared.
These revelations directly contradict a National Assembly panel report which had previously claimed that although Bobrisky received VIP treatment, he remained within prison walls throughout his sentence. The crossdresser was jailed in 2024 for naira abuse and released in August of the same year.
In a related development, controversial activist Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, released an audio recording allegedly featuring Bobrisky, in which she claimed to have paid ₦15 million to EFCC officials to drop a money laundering charge. In the same voice note, Bobrisky also mentioned the influence of a “godfather” and corrupt correctional officers who ensured her stay in a private apartment instead of prison.
The Nigerian Correctional Service and the EFCC have yet to issue official responses to the allegations.
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