Kirikiri Baale Explains How Bobrisky Paid N35 Million to Live Comfortably After Smuggling ATMs into Kirikiri.

The Baale of Kirikiri Town, Chief Babalola Shabi, commonly referred to as “Baale No-Nonsense,” has accused officials from the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) of facilitating preferential treatment for the controversial crossdresser Idris Okuneye, known as Bobrisky, during his imprisonment for Naira abuse. The Lagos traditional leader claimed that Bobrisky managed to smuggle eight Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards into the Kirikiri custodial facility, using them to conduct transactions totaling N35 million through Point of Sale (POS) operators in the vicinity, allegedly to bribe prison staff for special privileges. Shabi made these allegations at a town hall meeting hosted by the Lagos State Police Command on Saturday, April 5, as part of the National Police Week celebrations. He asserted that Bobrisky did not serve his full sentence in prison but was instead accommodated in a private residence outside the custodial facility, allegedly arranged by corrupt correctional officials. He stated, “Before the truth emerged, many believed he was serving his time in Kirikiri. However, the reality is that Bobrisky was living comfortably outside the prison, facilitated by a criminal conspiracy involving certain officials.” Shabi noted that it was his intervention that brought the scandal to light, explaining that he had summoned all POS operators in the community to his palace, which led to the involvement of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). “I personally contacted the EFCC after gathering the POS operators at my palace. From that point, they were able to trace the transactions and uncover the financial trail,” he remarked. The traditional leader elaborated that the scheme involved correctional officers soliciting POS vendors to withdraw cash from the crossdresser’s ATM cards. He emphasized that the ease with which the funds were accessed suggested a well-coordinated network of accomplices. It was astonishing how N35 million could be raised from this area in such a short time. It is evident that this was not the effort of a single individual. The officials who assisted him have since been suspended, Shabi remarked. He went on to claim that the location where Bobrisky was reportedly held during that time has been located and subsequently demolished, and that both the Department of State Services and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have questioned him regarding the matter. “The DSS initially summoned me for an interview, and I provided them with all the information I had. The EFCC also contacted me, and I fully cooperated with them. As a leader in the community, I cannot permit this kind of impunity to persist,” he stated. His testimony stands in contrast to an earlier report issued by a National Assembly panel, which concluded that Bobrisky received special treatment while remaining within the prison facilities for the duration of his sentence.