From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced that the report on comprehensive investigation into the allegations of bribery and misconduct within the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), made by social media influencer Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan allegeding that cross-dresser Bobrisky, (Laos known as Idris Okuneye) paid substantial bribes to evade serving his sentence, will be ready next week.
Recently, a leaked voice note purportedly revealed that Bobrisky had arranged to serve his sentence in a private apartment instead of jail, allegedly facilitated by corrupt officials within the NCoS. One of the allegations was that he paid N15 million to avoid incarceration.
Speaking at the launch of the report on the situation of children and young adults deprived of liberty in Nigeria, in Abuja, he said:” I want to say this, most of you are aware of the Bobrisky issue. We are resolute. The committee report will be ready by next week. I don’t care about Bobrisky; it is about the system. There must be penalties for actions.”
He confirmed that an officer implicated in the scandal has been suspended and replaced, stating,“The correctional centers cannot continue to be a point of disgrace to the Nigeria government.We will not allow the actions of a few to destroy the integrity of the generality of the institution.”
Speaking on the report on the welfare of children and young adults deprived of liberty, the emphasised that the focus must extend beyond individual cases to encompass systemic responsibility.
“Today is not about one person; it’s about responsibility,” he stated, highlighting the need for accountability in addressing the challenges within Nigeria’s correctional facilities.
Tunji-Ojo made it clear that he was not there to defend the current state of correctional centers but to take responsibility for their future.“This responsibility will be a springboard for a better tomorrow.If I tell you that I am comfortable with what is happening at the correctional centers, I will be the greatest liar.
“Take this to the bank,we will reform the Nigerian correctional centre.Correctional services is insufficient; a fundamental shift in ideology is essential. Prison is a place of incarceration; correctional centers should be places of reformation, transformation, and reintegration,” he explained.
The minister shared alarming statistics from a recent SWOT analysis conducted by his ministry. He revealed that out of 84,000 inmates in Nigeria, approximately 10% were imprisoned simply for failing to pay fines as low as N10,000. “We feed an inmate for N750 a day, totaling N300,000 a year for an offense worth N10,000. This disparity is madness.”
Tunji-Ojo highlighted that through partnerships and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, they had raised over N500 million to pay off compensations and reduce inmate numbers by 10%, saving the government around N3 billion annually in feeding costs alone. He emphasised that these funds could be redirected towards enhancing rehabilitation programs.
Addressing the number of correctional centers in Nigeria, he posed critical questions: “Do we need 256 correctional centers? The answer is no.” He pointed out that with only 84,000 inmates in a country of 200 million people, maintaining such a large number of facilities is impractical.
Tunji-Ojo advocated for creative solutions and collaboration with the Ministry of Justice to explore non-custodial options for approximately 70% of inmates who are awaiting trial. “If we do this, we can significantly reduce feeding costs and allocate those funds towards rehabilitation,” he stated.
The minister took personal responsibility for the reform efforts: “I am a leader who doesn’t run away from responsibility… if you do not take responsibility, you will never do the right thing.” He expressed his belief that a minor’s mistakes should not define an individual’s future and reiterated his commitment to transforming Nigeria’s correctional system into one focused on rehabilitation rather than punishment.
“ For me, the minor mistake of a minor should not become a major set back for the future.”
Tunji-Ojo cited successful reforms in other sectors as evidence of what can be achieved through dedication and innovation: “We made this promise in the Nigeria Immigration Service… we are using technology to fulfill our promise for correctional service. It is no longer business as usual.”