Prison Officials Explain Why Bobrisky Was Separated from Other Inmates, Deny VIP Treatment Claims

Prison officials have explained why Nigerian crossdresser Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, was kept separate from other inmates while in custody.

This comes after rumors suggested Bobrisky was given special treatment during his sentence.

During an interview on Arise TV’s The Morning Show, Bishop Kayode Williams, Director General of the Prison Rehabilitation Mission, explained that inmates are placed in different sections depending on their situation.

He said, “There are areas for prisoners sentenced to death and convicted inmates who are regular prisoners.”

Talking about Bobrisky’s case, Williams said his appearance made it risky for him to stay with the general prison population. “Bobrisky looks and acts like a woman, which could put him in danger in the male prison. Some inmates might target him, so he was given protective custody for his safety,” Williams said.

Francis Enobore, former National PRO of the Nigerian Correctional Service, supported this, saying that the prison service always profiles inmates to ensure their safety and the security of the prison.

“Bobrisky may have said he’s a man, but his appearance shows otherwise. There are some inmates who are not repentant and could cause trouble, so separating him was necessary,” Enobore said.

However, Enobore denied claims that Bobrisky was given VIP treatment. “There’s no private apartment or special treatment in the prison,” he clarified.

The rumors about Bobrisky’s special treatment started after activist Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, shared a voice note claiming Bobrisky said his godfather and the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service arranged for him to serve his sentence in a private space after being convicted for naira note abuse.

In response, two deputy controllers at the Kirikiri Medium Custodial Centre in Lagos were suspended by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board due to bribery allegations linked to Bobrisky’s case.