Two senior Nigerian prison officials have been suspended amid bribery allegations involving controversial transgender celebrity Bobrisky, authorities announced Thursday.
The suspensions follow claims by social media influencer Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, that anti-corruption officials were bribed to drop money laundering charges against Bobrisky. The celebrity, whose real name is Idris Okuneye, has denied these allegations.
Bobrisky was released from prison last month after serving a six-month sentence for abusing the naira, Nigeria’s local currency. Money laundering charges against her were dismissed by a court.
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have launched investigations into a viral video allegedly linking Bobrisky to the bribery claims. In the leaked footage, someone purported to be Bobrisky is heard claiming to have paid $9,000 (£7,000) to EFCC officials to have charges dropped. The video also alleges that she paid millions of naira to secure a private apartment near the prison during her sentence.
Bobrisky, who has nearly five million Instagram followers, vehemently denied the accusations in a social media post, stating, “I didn’t pay any EFCC money, which is a very big lie. I served my term in full, and I came out. Discard any false information.”
The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board suspended the two prison officers linked to the bribery allegations, along with two other senior officials over separate accusations. The board stated that the suspensions would allow for a thorough investigation, promising to make the findings public upon conclusion.
This scandal highlights ongoing concerns about corruption in Nigeria, which ranked 145 out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index. The case has sparked widespread condemnation in the country, underlining the persistent challenges in combating bribery and ensuring transparency in government institutions.
