LAGOS, NIGERIA – A storm of controversy has erupted over the imprisonment of popular Nigerian crossdresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, following shocking new claims that he bribed prison officials with N35 million to secure luxury treatment and allegedly never spent a day behind Kirikiri’s bars.
The explosive revelation was made by the Baale of Kirikiri Town, Chief Babalola Shabi, also known as Baale No-Nonsense, during a town hall meeting hosted by the Lagos State Police Command in commemoration of National Police Week.
According to Chief Shabi, Bobrisky smuggled eight ATM cards into the Kirikiri Custodial Centre and funneled N35 million through local POS operators, money allegedly used to bribe Nigerian Correctional Service officials who, in turn, arranged for him to live outside the prison in a private apartment rather than within the facility.
“Everyone believed he was serving time in Kirikiri, but the truth is he lived comfortably outside the prison thanks to a network of corrupt officials,” Chief Shabi alleged.
How the Scandal Unfolded
Shabi said he became suspicious after observing irregular activities in the area and summoned all POS operators in Kirikiri to his palace. It was from this meeting that the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) got involved and began tracing the illicit transactions.
“I invited the EFCC myself after gathering information from the POS operators. The cash flow, N35 million, was simply too coordinated to ignore,” he stated.
He described the operation as a well-oiled, insider-aided financial scheme, revealing that correctional officers personally coordinated ATM withdrawals with POS agents, using Bobrisky’s cards. Some of these complicit officials have reportedly been suspended pending further investigations.
Hidden Residence Demolished, DSS Joins the Case
The traditional ruler also confirmed that the private property where Bobrisky allegedly stayed during the sentence has been identified and demolished. He said both the Department of State Services (DSS) and the EFCC have since interrogated him over the matter.
“As a community leader, I cannot sit back and allow such impunity. I gave full cooperation to both the DSS and EFCC. This scandal must be exposed,” Shabi insisted.
Contradictions and More Accusations
Chief Shabi’s account starkly contrasts with an earlier report by a National Assembly panel, which claimed that while Bobrisky did receive preferential treatment, he was never removed from the prison premises.
The controversy thickened after social commentator VeryDarkMan leaked an alleged voice note from Bobrisky, where he claimed to have paid N15 million to EFCC officials to drop money laundering charges. In the same audio, Bobrisky allegedly confirmed he had a godfather who ensured he served time in comfort, not confinement.
Bobrisky was convicted in 2024 and sentenced to six months in prison for abuse of the naira. He was released in August 2024 under questionable circumstances that are now under intense public scrutiny.
