The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has initiated an unconditional and comprehensive investigation into allegations of bribery and corruption within the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
In a statement released on Wednesday by his media aide, Babatunde Alao, the Minister condemned the alleged misconduct, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of indiscipline, unprofessionalism, and corruption within the paramilitary services under his Ministry.
“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,” Tunji-Ojo asserted.
To oversee the investigation, the Minister has called for a special investigative team led by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani.
He assured the public that the probe would be rigorous, transparent, and impartial, with appropriate disciplinary actions to be taken against any personnel found guilty.
The investigation follows bribery allegations made by Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, in a video released by blogger Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan.
In the viral audio, Bobrisky claimed to have bribed officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with ₦15 million to drop a money laundering charge against him.
Reacting to the allegations, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, stated that the Commission’s Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, has constituted a team of investigators to thoroughly examine the claims.
Bobrisky was released from the Kirikiri Correctional Centre on August 5 after serving six months for a naira abuse charge, to which he pleaded guilty.