society
Bobrisky: Reps grill EFCC, NCoS officials over bribery allegations
Bobrisky: Reps grill EFCC, NCoS officials over bribery allegations
The House of Representatives, on Monday, grilled officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Nigerian Correctional Service over allegations that the two agencies were bribed by controversial cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, alias Bobrisky, following his conviction and sentencing for abuse of the naira in April.
During the hearing, both the EFCC and the NCoS officials denied the bribery allegations. The EFCC refuted claims that Bobrisky paid N15 million to have the money laundering charges against him dropped, while the NCoS insisted that Bobrisky served his term at the Kirikiri Maximum Correctional Centre and not in a private apartment as alleged.
Bobrisky was convicted on April 5, 2024, by the Federal High Court in Lagos and sentenced to six months in prison for abuse of the naira. On August 5, 2024, the self-acclaimed “Mummy of Lagos” regained his freedom amid allegations of receiving preferential treatment while in custody due to his fame as a media personality.
Last week, a social media influencer, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, released an audio recording purportedly made by Bobrisky, in which he claimed that after his conviction and sentencing, an unnamed godfather, in collaboration with the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, arranged for him to serve his six-month sentence in a private apartment.
In the audio shared by VDM, Bobrisky was alleged to have claimed that he paid as much as N15m to EFCC officials to drop the money laundering charges against him.
Following these allegations, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered a probe and the immediate suspension of the Deputy Controller of Corrections in charge of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos State, Michael Anugwa, and the Deputy Controller of Corrections in charge of the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos State, Sikiru Adekunle.
Additionally, last week, the House of Representatives resolved to invite Bobrisky, VDM, the EFCC, and the NCoS for questioning over the matter.
Appearing before the Reps Joint Committee on Monday, Anugwa stated that when Bobrisky was brought to the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos, he refused to eat the prison rations, preferring to make personal arrangements for his feeding. He added that this practice is guaranteed under the nation’s laws.
On why Bobrisky was kept in a different cell away from other inmates, Anugwa explained, “During the admission of the inmate (Bobrisky), we discovered that he had two features. We did not know where to place him because, for instance, he had breasts. We had to take him to Room 2 in the B Ward. This is also in line with global best practices as approved by the United Nations.”
Regarding Bobrisky’s transfer to the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Anugwa said, “Friends of Bobrisky bought plastic chairs and brought them to the centre. There was so much media hype that he had to be moved to Kirikiri for security.”
When asked if the donation of chairs could have influenced Bobrisky’s movement from Ikoyi to Kirikiri, Anugwa declined to comment, but added that it is a tradition for inmates to make donations to authorities while in custody.
He denied the allegation that Bobrisky was held outside the walls of a correctional facility, stating, “Bobrisky was admitted on April 13, with a valid warrant and a transfer order from Ikoyi Correctional Facility. The warrant was given to me the same day of his conviction. The biometric was taken the next day because he came around 10:30 PM. Okuneye spent 10 days at a medium correctional centre and was moved to maximum because he refused to eat the prison food and then applied for self-feeding, which was approved. Bobrisky nominated two people to bring his food to the facility, Abiola Okuneye and Moji Okuneye. During the admission, we discovered that Idris, though a man, had special features like breasts that would not allow us to put him in the general cell. We agreed to put him in a separate cell. While he was there, he had a total of 39 visitors.”
Echoing Anugwa’s position, the Assistant Controller General of NCoS in charge of the Kirikiri Maximum Security Centre, Ben-Rabbi Freeman, said he transported Bobrisky to Kirikiri in his official car.
“The transfer from Ikoyi to Kirikiri was purely for security purposes. The inmate (Bobrisky) was taken to the maximum facility in my official car,” Freeman said.
When asked if he was on suspension, the Deputy Controller elicited prolonged laughter at the investigative hearing when he said he learned about his fate via a press release. “The suspension was in the form of a press release,” he said.
When pressed further to clarify his position, Anugwa added, “It was a social media suspension, sir,” a remark that sent the audience into another bout of laughter.
However, the NCoS, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, labeled Anugwa’s actions as an attempt to mislead the public.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Nigerian Correctional Service suspended not only the said officer in the video but three other officers following their alleged roles in various misconducts to allow for further investigation. The suspended officers include the officer in charge of the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos, Deputy Controller of Corrections Sikiru Adekunle; the officer in charge of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos, Deputy Controller of Corrections Michael Anugwa; the officer in charge of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, FCT command, DCC Kevin Ikechukwu Iloafonsi; and Assistant Superintendent of Corrections Ogbule Samuel Obinna of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State,” Abubakar said.
VeryDarkMan apeaks on allegation
Meanwhile, VeryDarkMan, who initially declined to speak unless Bobrisky was produced, later agreed to comment after committee members and his lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, urged him to have a change of mind.
Speaking on his allegations, VeryDarkMan told the investigating committee that he obtained his audio recording from someone who lent Bobrisky N4m.
“Bobrisky claimed he had a godfather. I don’t know if that godfather is here, so I will present my evidence one at a time as I have more audio recordings,” he said.
Also speaking, Bobrisky’s lawyer, Avwerosuoghene Omuvwie, informed the House panel that his client could not honor the invitation due to ill health.
However, this did not sit well with the committee, which demanded medical proof to support the claim. A committee member, Patrick Umoh (PDP, Akwa Ibom), warned that the panel would not entertain frivolous excuses in the future, stating, “We hope that the next time we invite him, he will be well.”
EFCC defends allegation
Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff to the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, Michael Nzekwe, who represented his principal at the investigative hearing, explained why the commission dropped money laundering charges against Bobrisky. According to him, the charges were dropped because Bobrisky had pleaded guilty in his confessional statement.
He urged the House to “use its constitutional power to ensure that corruption and other vices are exposed, investigated, and prosecuted, and also to ensure that patriotic and dedicated officers are not blackmailed, demonized, and demoralized for faithfully serving and carrying out their lawful duties.”
“The commission has been consistent in its advocacy, calling on the public with credible information on alleged acts of corruption involving any of its officers to come forward with evidence. The public is urged to do so responsibly.
“Short of the ex-convict and other accusers openly naming the officers of the commission to whom they allegedly gave the bribe of N15m in order to influence the dropping of counts 5 and 6 of the charge bordering on money laundering, it is reasonable to infer that the ex-convict merely made up the story to convince the yet-to-be-identified person he was speaking with to obtain financial favors under false pretenses by dropping the name of the commission.
“We wish to draw the attention of the Honorable House to the fact that the onus of proving this grievous allegation against officials of the commission rests squarely on the accusers in this case: the ex-convict and VeryDarkMan. It is noteworthy that the commission extended an invitation to both the ex-convict and VeryDarkMan to assist in unraveling the identities of the officers of the commission to whom the alleged bribe of N15n was paid,” the EFCC stated.
The Chairman of the Committee, Ginger Onwusibe, however, indicated that at the next meeting, the person who recorded the audio should appear before the committee, while the meeting was adjourned sine die.
Old Students Association rejects alleged commercialisation of Unity School land
By Ifeoma Ikem
The Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA) has rejected the alleged commercialisation of any unity schools land under the Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) initiative.
The association made its displeasure known during their awareness walk to protest the concession of the 33 hectares of land belonging to Federal Government College (FGC) Kano yesterday in Lagos.
The members were carrying placards, some of which read “PPP: Save the Future”, “Protect Unity Schools”, “PPP must serve Education not land conversion” and “Schools are not for Real Estate”.
President-General of the Unity Schools Old Students Association USOSA Michael Magaji says Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) was designed to improve public institutions, and not strip them of assets or reduce their land.
Over 60 Unity schools members were drawn from across the nation for the awareness walk to protest against the alleged sale of the school lands.
The P-G said the association was advocating for a sustainable funding model that would preserve educational assets while improving infrastructure, manpower and learning conditions.
“Our coming together is to restore the lost glory of Unity Schools and strengthen Nigeria’s education system. Unity schools are nation-building institutions that have produced leaders across various sectors.
“Unity Schools were not just about education, they were about integration built not by spectators but by active citizens that believe in one nation.
“ The alumni support PPP but oppose the sale of educational assets. Unity never happens by chance but designed, nurtured and protected,’’ he added.
He added that the awareness walk brought about by the alumni across the nation was also to have a stronger network to revive the vision of the Unity Schools.
Mr Humphrey Nwafor, Lagos Chapter President, Federal Government College, Kano Old Students Association said that they are pushing back against the alleged commercialisation of Unity School lands.
Nwafor pointed out that the 33 hectares of land belonging to FGC Kano was concessioned without adequate consultation with stakeholders.
“We are saying there is a better option. Instead of selling our lands and assets, we would rather fund the schools ourselves.
“If the government says it does not have enough money to run the schools, the old students can provide support without taking one inch of the land,” he said.
According to him, the concession arrangement involving the school’s land will undermine the future of unity schools, which were established in the first place to promote national integration.
“These schools were established to unite Nigerians from different ethnic and religious backgrounds and we are appealing to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure that public educational assets are protected,” he added.
He called on the Federal Government to leverage alumni networks in addressing funding challenges confronting unity schools.
“We are in solution mode and impact mode and we believe alumni associations should be integrated into the process of repositioning these schools.
“We recently met with officials of the Federal Ministry of Education and discussions are ongoing toward finding mutually beneficial solutions,” he said.
Mr Alex Akindumila, President of FGC Idoani Alumni Association said the concession controversy was a national test of how public assets and educational institutions are being managed.
He said that they are concerned that reducing lands allocated to unity schools could limit future expansion, agricultural projects, sports facilities, technical workshops and staff accommodation.
“The lands allocated to unity schools were deliberate and visionary.“They were designed to ensure that the schools remain self-sustaining and adaptable to future needs.
According to him, when you shrink the land of a unity school, you do not just reduce space, but reduce possibility , reduce ability to run agricultural programs that can feed students and teach enterprise, even the space required for sports facilities that build discipline, health and national pride.
Also, Mrs Ifeoma Okeke, an alumna of FGC Nsukka, called for transparency, due process and stakeholder engagement in any PPP arrangement involving educational institutions.
She said PPP agreements should align with the public purpose of the schools and not diminish their long-term capacity.
“There must be transparency, competitiveness and proper stakeholder engagement in any concession process involving public educational assets,” she said.
society
NAPS Southwest Condemns Delay in Passage of HND,/B.SC Dichotomy Bill, Issues 30 Days Ultimatum to Nigeria Senate and Federal House of Representative
NAPS Southwest Condemns Delay in Passage of HND,/B.SC Dichotomy Bill, Issues 30 Days Ultimatum to Nigeria Senate and Federal House of Representative
The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) Southwest has strongly condemned the continued delay in the passage of the bill aimed at ending the long-standing disparity between Higher National Diploma (HND) and Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) qualifications in Nigeria. The association has described the delay as unjust, discriminatory, and harmful to the future of polytechnic education in the country.
The NAPS Southwest expressed deep frustration over what it called the unacceptable silence and inaction from the Nigerian Senate and Federal House of Representatives regarding the bill. The proposed legislation seeks to abolish the dichotomy between HND and B.Sc holders, a divide that has for years limited career progression opportunities for polytechnic graduates, particularly in the public sector.
This ongoing delay represents a significant policy gap that must be urgently addressed. The continued discrimination against HND holders contradicts the principles of equity, fairness, and meritocracy that should define Nigeria’s public service.
For years, polytechnic students and graduates have faced systemic discrimination in employment opportunities, career progression, and societal recognition an injustice that undermines the value of technical and vocational education in national development. The proposed bill represents a critical step toward equity, fairness, and the full recognition of polytechnic education in Nigeria.
We therefore call on the current administration and the National Assembly to prioritize the reintroduction and immediate passage of this critical legislation. Nigeria cannot afford to sideline a significant segment of its skilled workforce due to outdated and discriminatory policies.
It is therefore disheartening that the Nigeria Senate and House of Representatives has yet to act decisively on this matter of urgent national importance. The continued delay raises serious questions about the commitment of lawmakers to addressing the challenges faced by millions of Nigerian youths in the polytechnic system.
The NAPS southwest unequivocally calls on the Senate and House of Representatives to, without further delay, deliberate on and pass the bill to end the HND/B.Sc dichotomy. The future of countless students and graduates depends on this decisive action.
The continued delay in passing this bill is a direct attack on the dignity and future of millions of Nigerian students and graduates, the statement read. We cannot continue to tolerate a system that places artificial barriers on capable individuals simply because of the institution they attended.
Failure to meet this demand will leave NAPS Southwest with no choice but to mobilize Nigerian Polytechnic Students and Graduates across the country for peaceful but firm actions to press home our demands. We are prepared to take all legitimate steps necessary to ensure that justice is served.
NAPS Southwest has therefore issued a strong warning to the Senate and House of Representatives, urging lawmakers to prioritize and immediately pass the bill without further delay. The association made it clear that failure to act promptly would trigger nationwide protests and coordinated actions by Nigerian polytechnic students and graduates.
We urge all relevant stakeholders to initiate comprehensive reforms that will harmonize qualification frameworks, ensure equal opportunities for career advancement, and restore confidence in the civil service system.
NAPS Southwest remains committed to advocating for the rights and dignity of polytechnic students and graduates across Nigeria. We will continue to engage constructively with policymakers and mobilize support until justice is achieved.
Signed
Comr Ogunsola Adewale John
NAPS Southwest Coordinator
+234 704 720 2907
society
African Focus Historic Royal Visit of Olúkòyí of Ìkòyí Ọba Iyiola Akande Morenigbade in Los Angeles, CA —
African Focus Historic Royal Visit of Olúkòyí of Ìkòyí Ọba Iyiola Akande Morenigbade in Los Angeles, CA —
African Focus Inc. its 20th Anniversary with Goodwill Awards and Induction Ceremony in April, 2026, held at the Renaissance LAX in Los Angeles, California.
The landmark event brought together distinguished guests, cultural leaders, and members of the African diaspora for an evening of recognition, reconnection, and celebration.
The ceremony honored outstanding community leaders and cultural champions whose contributions have strengthened African heritage and unity across generations.
The evening featured an elegant dinner, and an inspiring awards presentation, commemorating two decades of impactful service.
Highlight of the event was the African Family Induction, a signature tradition of African Focus.
18 Diaspora Africans were formally welcomed into native African families for a meaningful cultural experience.
The Inductees received certificates bearing their native names, along with cultural artifacts symbolizing their new lineage.
This initiative continues to foster cultural identity, bridge generational and geographical divides, and encourage deeper engagement with the African continent.
Many past inductees have gone on to travel to Africa with their host families, strengthening cultural bonds and understanding.
This year’s event was graced by a Yorùbà monarch His Royal Majesty, Oba Iyiola Akande Morenigbade, the Olukoyi of Ikoyi in Osun State, Nigeria who doubled as special guest of honour and historically served as Royal Father of the Day.
His royal presence brought cultural significance to the celebration.
The event was hosted by Uchenna Nworgu, Founder and Director of African Focus Inc, alongside a distinguished team of Cultural Ambassadors and leaders, including Paul Babatunde, Director of Cultural Initiatives; Dominique DiPrima, Cultural Ambassador; Wole Nipede; Ojise Isedale (also known as Olubunmi Olukanni); Ade James; and other notable contributors.
The event was concluded with vibrant music and dance, reflecting the spirit of unity and cultural pride that has defined African Focus for the past 20 years.
African Focus is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reconnecting the African diaspora with their cultural roots through education, cultural exchange, and community engagement initiatives.
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