Thursday, September 26, 2024 -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.
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