The Nigerian House of Representatives has initiated an investigation into bribery allegations against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Nigerian Correctional Service, NCS.
The allegations, were made by social media influencer Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, accusing the EFCC of dropping money laundering charges against Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, after allegedly receiving a bribe of N15 million.
During Thursday’s plenary session, Rep. Patrick Umoh, representing the Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara Federal Constituency in Akwa Ibom State, sponsored the motion. He expressed deep concern over the damaging allegations, emphasizing that such claims tarnish Nigeria’s global image as a corrupt nation and demand urgent attention.
Umoh pointed to a widely circulated online publication by VeryDarkMan, which alleges that the EFCC accepted the N15 million bribe to drop the charges against Bobrisky. Additionally, the publication claims that despite being convicted of defacing the Naira, Bobrisky did not serve his sentence within the NCS but was allegedly accommodated outside its facilities.
“We are disturbed by these serious allegations against two key law enforcement bodies—the EFCC and the NCS—which were established to combat corruption and manage correctional services for convicted individuals,” Umoh stated.
He further stressed that the negative portrayal of Nigeria as a corrupt nation should not be ignored, and called for a thorough investigation to restore trust in these institutions.
In response, Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, referred the matter to the Committees on Financial Crimes and Reformatory Institutions for further investigation. A report on the findings is expected within three legislative weeks.
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Recall that in a video posted earlier this week, VeryDarkMan accused Bobrisky of offering N15 million to operatives of the EFCC to drop money laundering charges against him, which allegedly enabled him to avoid a jail term at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.
In response, Bobrisky took to his social media accounts on September 25, 2024, to vehemently deny the allegations. He asserted that he has already served his jail time and did not bribe any EFCC officials. Bobrisky also dismissed a viral voice recording purportedly connected to the bribery claims, labeling it as fake.
Despite his attempts to refute the claims, the controversy has significantly affected Bobrisky’s mental health. In a heartfelt post shared on his Instagram account today, he expressed feelings of despair, saying he is considering suicide due to ongoing attacks on his character and reputation.
He wrote, “I have never in my life thought about suicide, but now it is coming to my head seeing what human beings are doing to their fellow humans just to bring them down or because they don’t like them. I don’t need sympathy from anyone. The people I might need sympathy from are my late parents. But who will fight for you? Friends? HATERS YOU WON.”
In light of the turmoil, Bobrisky has deleted all pictures and videos from his Instagram account, signaling the profound impact of the allegations on his well-being. The situation has raised concerns about mental health, especially amid public scrutiny and social media backlash.
Credible News.ng
