Prison experts have clarified why controversial crossdresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, was separated from other inmates at the correctional facility, denying claims of a VIP section for the social media personality
Speaking on Arise TV’s The Morning Show on Friday, Bishop Kayode Williams, Director General of the Prison Rehabilitation Mission, explained the accommodations provided for different categories of inmates. He noted that prisoners are separated based on their status, such as condemned prisoners or convicted inmates.
Addressing Bobrisky’s case, Williams stated that due to his transgender appearance, placing him in the general male prison population could pose a safety risk. “He looks and moves like a woman, and there are inmates who are unrepentant homosexuals. This creates a security concern, so they placed him in protective custody,” he explained.
Former National Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Francis Enobore, supported Williams’ remarks, adding that inmates are profiled for their safety and that of others. “While Bobrisky identified as male in court, his physical appearance resembles that of a woman, and this could lead to serious security issues,” he said.
Enobore also refuted claims that Bobrisky was given special treatment or housed in a private section, emphasizing, “There’s no such thing as a private apartment or anything special in the prison.”
Controversy surrounding Bobrisky’s incarceration emerged earlier in the week after activist Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, alleged in a voice note that Bobrisky claimed to have received special treatment due to his connections with high-ranking officials. Bobrisky reportedly said his godfather and the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service arranged for him to serve his six-month sentence in a private apartment following his conviction for abuse of naira notes in April.
In response to these allegations, the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board announced on Thursday the suspension of two deputy controllers from the Kirikiri Medium Custodial Centre in Lagos in connection to the alleged bribery claims.
