The Nigerian Correctional Service is accused of bribery, and Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the minister of interior, ordered a comprehensive investigation into the claims on Wednesday.
The minister’s directive, while it makes no mention of any particular case, follows a voice note that Martins Otse, a.k.a. VeryDarkMan, shared in which Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, claimed that his godfather, working with the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, arranged for him to serve his six-month sentence in a private apartment following his conviction and sentencing for abusing naira notes in April.
This came as Femi Falana (SAN), a human rights attorney, denied having anything to do with Bobrisky and set VeryDarkMan a 24-hour deadline to take back the statement he had made connecting Bobrisky and him.
In a letter to VeryDarkMan, Falana’s attorney demanded an apology and retraction, saying, “We wish to state, without any fear of contradiction, that our client (Falana) has never, in his life, spoken to Brobrisky on his alleged pardon or on any matter whatsoever.”
A voice, purportedly belonging to Bobrisky, was heard stating: “There’s jealousy involved” in a voice message that VeryDarkMan posted online. I acknowledged my guilt when I arrived to court and hoped for a fine or community service. But the court gave me a punishment. My godfather contacted me on the way to prison to reassure me that I would not go to prison. He assured me not to worry and promised to communicate with the Comptroller General of Prisons in Abuja and set up an apartment close to the prison.
Following their conversation, I was brought to an apartment and instructed not to leave until I had completed my term. They told the apartment’s occupant that their supervisor had given them orders to keep me there and not allow me to leave. I had to call Elele again since the gentleman claimed he will collect N10m. Since I had no one else to call, Elele gave me N2m.
Bobrisky purportedly stated in the same widely circulated voice message that he bought the dismissal of money laundering accusations against him by offering officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission a N15 million bribe. This left him with only allegations of abuse of currency, for which he was found guilty and given a sentence.
The audio message purports that he was also contacted by rap artist Falz and his father, Falana, a human rights attorney, who offered to assist him in requesting a pardon from the Federal Government in exchange for a N10 million payment.
The interior minister ordered an immediate investigation in response to the furious controversy that his media aide, Alao Babatunde, had brought to light on Wednesday. He emphasized that he would not tolerate any kind of indiscipline while in office.
“An unconditional and thorough inquiry into the claims of bribery and corruption inside the Nigerian Correctional Service has been directed by the Minister of Interior.
“Tunji-Ojo categorically denounced the purportedly repugnant actions, stressing that within the paramilitary services under the ministry’s jurisdiction, any kind of indiscipline, unprofessionalism, or corruption will be confronted with zero tolerance and dire repercussions.
“Any compromise on the ministry’s fundamental principles of accountability, transparency, and honesty will not be tolerated. Alao declared in the statement, “We will stop at nothing to eradicate corruption and make sure that anyone proven guilty face the full weight of the law.
He went on to say that Magdalene Ajani, the ministry’s permanent secretary, would lead the team looking into the claims.
“A special investigative team led by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, has been called by the minister to look into these allegations and provide a thorough report,” he stated.
“The minister assures the public that any staff members found to be at fault will face appropriate disciplinary actions, and that the investigation will be thorough, open, and unbiased.”
Falana, meanwhile, has demanded that the purportedly defamatory comment against him be taken down in a pre-action letter addressed to VeryDarkMan, the person who shared the vote note.
In a letter, the SAN threatened legal action against the social media influencer unless he withdrew the statement and issued an apology. Taiwo Olawanle of Falana and Falana Chambers wrote the letter on his behalf.
Part of the letter said, “We are Mr. Femi Falana SAN’s lawyer (henceforth referred to as “our client”), and we are writing this letter in response to your publication and distribution of false information about him.
“In everything and everyone that is mentioned here, I will be disappointed if truly FALZ and his father are involved in this whole Bobrisky issue,” states a post you made on your Instagram profile on September 25, 2024.
By disseminating the message across several digital channels, you apprised your substantial audience that Mr. Femi Falana had “spoken to Bobrisky in order to divert justice.”
“You stated in your publication that you did not anticipate Mr. Femi Falana, a respected attorney for the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti, to ‘engage in something like this?'”
“Your newspaper also claimed that Mr. Femi Falana SAN sought N10,000,000.00 in order to obtain a presidential pardon for Bobrisky.
As if that weren’t enough, you went on to say, ‘I don’t even think Femi Falana would engage himself with something like this, the whole Femi Falana would drag himself down to this level.'” “You know Nigeria with its corruption,” the man stated, beginning the pardon process, adding that he wanted to send it to the Minister of Justice in Abuja, who would then send it to the President for approval.
“Femi FALANA raised N10,000,000 to get his identity removed from official records. I held these people in high regard. I hold these people in high regard.Nigeria is clearly here to stay and won’t be moving anytime soon.
The letter claimed that VeryDarkMan’s social media post painted Falana in a negative light and that “Mr. Femi Falana is deceitful and his motivation for fighting against injustice and corruption in Nigeria and throughout Africa is a ruse, as is the direct meaning of the imputation, and/or innuendo contained in the false, misleading and defamatory statements.”
“Mr. Femi Falana talked to Bobrisky about distorting justice (sic) in order to get material and financial advantage.
“Mr. Femi Falana violated the Legal Practitioner Rules of Professional Conduct by asking Bobrisky for a brief.
“Mr. Femi Falana has collaborated with others whom you have labeled as corrupt in an apparatus that amounts to subterfuge.”
“Mr. Falana’s battle against injustice is at odds with his widely recognized and verified track record of skill, honesty, and integrity.”
“Mr. Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has acted in a way that is inconsistent with his obligations and professional role as a Nigerian lawyer.”
“A vicious, wicked and reckless ploy to impugn our client’s reputation and lower him in the estimation of right-thinking members of the public,” was how the chamber characterized VeryDarkMan’s publication.
The statement stated that although the Nigerian Constitution guarantees the social media influencer the fundamental right to freedom of expression, “you are duty bound to ensure that what you publish and disseminate is credible and factual in every material particular.” Put another way, you are not allowed by law to harm someone’s reputation by making unfounded accusations that are blatantly untrue.
Therefore, the attorneys “demand an apology prominently published in all the platforms to which you have disseminated it without any justification whatsoever and the immediate retraction of the offensive and derogatory publication.”
They said, “Be advised that we shall proceed with our client’s instructions to seek appropriate legal remedies, including monetary damages, against you for your incendiary publication and dissemination of defamatory statements, provided we do not receive your formal retraction and apology as demanded within 24 hours of the receipt of this letter.”
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