On Tuesday, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, stated that the scandal involving crossdresser Bobrisky (born Idris Okuneye) and his prison experience reflects broader institutional challenges within the country.
Bobrisky has been at the center of controversy following claims of bribery, where he allegedly paid officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) for preferential treatment during his jail term for abusing the nation’s currency. In a viral video, the social media personality claimed to have bribed prison officials to receive special privileges.
During an interview on Channels TV, Minister Tunji-Ojo said, “When you have an institutional problem, you don’t just provide a knee-jerk approach to solving it.” He emphasized that the issue extends beyond Bobrisky’s case, calling it a larger institutional challenge. “We set up that committee to look into all the issues, beyond Bobrisky, beyond people absconding – it is a whole institutional issue,” he added.
The Minister underlined the need for urgent reforms in the country’s institutions, stressing that, “We cannot transfer today’s problem to the future.”
Tunji-Ojo also discussed the government’s efforts to address emerging security challenges, particularly in the northern region. “The way innocent Nigerians are watching me talk, don’t be surprised that terrorists are also watching me to know if I will be flippant, so they would be a mile ahead of us,” he remarked.
He reassured the public, stating, “All I can tell you is that the government is on top of these emerging security issues from all angles and using all agencies within its purview.”
