Tunji ojo Archives - Leading Reporters

The Federal Government has vowed that nobody involved in the alleged bribery saga involving a crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, aka Bobrisky, will escape punishment.

Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the vow at a press briefing to mark his one year in office, on Friday in Abuja.

The minister had earlier ordered a comprehensive investigation into allegations of bribery and corruption within the Nigerian Correctional Service, NCoS.

Tunji-Ojo gave the order following reports that Bobrisky, who was sentenced to prison earlier this year, did not serve his jail term inside the correctional centre.

Amid the ongoing investigation, the Nigerian Government, through the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board, on Thursday 26th September, 2024, suspended some senior officers of the country’s prisons service.

Those suspended are Michael Anugwa, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC), in-charge of Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Kiri-kiri, Lagos State; and Sikiru Adekunle, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC), in-charge of Maximum-Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Kiri-kiri, Lagos State.

The Board also suspended ASC II Ogbule Samuel Obinna, serving at the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Afikpo, Ebonyi State, for allegedly accompanying a convicted inmate out of the custodial centre to a location outside the facility.

Another senior officer, Iloafonsi Kevin Ikechukwu, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC), in-charge of Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Kuje, Abuja, was suspended for allegedly receiving money on behalf of an inmate.

Speaking on the bribery and corruption saga that is currently rocking the country’s correctional service, Tunji-Ojo urged Nigerians to be patient, and wait for the conclusion of the investigation.

But he assured that all those involved will face the music.

“We will not spare anybody no matter how highly placed. Let’s be patient. Investigation is on but let’s be assured that nobody will be shielded and nobody will be protected,” the minister stressed.

He added that the investigation will go beyond the allegations involving Bobrisky.

“It is not just about Bobrisky. Of the four people we suspended only two are linked to Bobrisky. The one in Afikpo took somebody out. This will continue. It is not going to stop here.”

Tunji-Ojo described the persons in the investigation committee as people of integrity.

“Look at the integrity of the people that are involved. Let the integrity of the people in the committee give you confidence,” he added.

The minister of interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has distanced himself from claims of owning a company, New Planet Projects Limited, awarded a contract by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

New Planet Projects Limited, allegedly owned by the minister, had gotten N438 million as “consultancy fees” from the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Betta Edu.

But Tunji-Ojo has denied owning the said firm, insisting that he resigned as a company director in 2019.

He blamed the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) for failing to update its website on his resignation as a director.

He told Channels Televison: “I am not a signatory to the company. As I’ve always said, I came into public office with a commitment to base my service on sincerity of purpose and openness. I believe that Nigerians don’t deserve to be kept in the dark in terms of public office operations.

“And actually, I was shocked because the company in question was a company where I was a director. About five years ago, I had resigned from my directorship.

“I and my wife founded the company 15 years years ago. Well, in 2019, when I got to the House of Representatives, when I won election precisely, I made a change.

“I had resigned as director of the company to hold office”, adding that he is only a shareholder of the company, which is not in violation of the law.
“Of course, and to the best of my knowledge, the public service rule does not prohibit public officers from being shareholders.”

However, Ripples Nigeria reports that the National Programme Manager for the Grants for Vulnerable Groups (GVG), Thalis Apalowo, was the minister’s aide when he was a member of the House of Representatives.

Thalis Apalowo served as his Legislative Aide, and according to sources, Tunji-Ojo was responsible for his appointment as the GVG programme manager.

“He was the one who lobbied for his appointment as coordinator of programme under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, he is his close aide,” a source said.

It is believed that Apalowo facilitated the consultancy contract for New Planet Projects Limited due to his relationship with the Interior Minister and his position within the Humanitarian Affairs ministry.

Tunji ojo

Bobrisky: We will not spare anybody – Nigerian Govt vows

“It’s not my fault” – Interior minister speaks after being linked to Betta Edu’s alleged fraud