The federal government has taken decisive action by suspending several senior officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) in response to serious allegations made by Idris Okuneye, widely known as Bobrisky. The announcement was made on Thursday through a statement from Ja’afaru Ahmed, Secretary of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board.
The officers suspended include Michael Anugwa, Deputy Controller of Corrections at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kiri-kiri, Lagos; Sikiru Adekunle, Deputy Controller at the Maximum-Security Custodial Centre, Kiri-kiri; ASC II Ogbule Samuel Obinna, stationed at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Afikpo, Ebonyi; and Iloafonsi Ikechukwu, Deputy Controller at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kuje, Abuja. These suspensions come amid allegations ranging from unauthorized inmate escorts to accepting bribes on behalf of inmates.
Ja’afaru Ahmed emphasized that these suspensions are intended to facilitate thorough investigations into the allegations, assuring the public that the findings will be disclosed upon completion.
In a parallel development, the House of Representatives has mandated its Committees on Financial Crimes and Reformatory Institutions to investigate corruption allegations involving both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the NCS. This resolution was adopted following a motion raised by Hon. Dr. Patrick Umoh, who expressed concerns over claims suggesting that the EFCC accepted a bribe of N15 million to drop money laundering charges against Bobrisky. Additionally, there were allegations that Okuneye did not serve his sentence within the NCS despite being convicted for defacing the naira.
Umoh highlighted the detrimental effects of such allegations on Nigeria’s reputation and called for urgent measures to restore public trust in law enforcement agencies.
Furthermore, the House passed the first reading of a bill aimed at allowing independent candidates to participate in elections. Sponsored by Hon. Akin Rotimi, the proposed legislation seeks to amend various sections of the constitution to enable candidates without political party sponsorship to contest for offices. This move is seen as a significant step toward enhancing democratic participation in Nigeria.
