Idris Okuneye, a well-known crossdresser who goes by the name "Bobrisky," has initiated legal proceedings against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Assembly. Mr. Okuneye asserts that his fundamental rights have been violated.
As reported by BrandIconImage, Mr. Okuneye has been embroiled in a controversy following the dissemination of an audio recording by social media influencer Mr. Martins ‘VDM’ Otse. The purported recording suggests that Mr. Okuneye remitted a sum of N15 million to the EFCC in exchange for the dismissal of money laundering charges against him.
In the leaked recording, Bobrisky claimed he served a six-month prison sentence in a private residence and alleged that musician Falz and his father, human rights attorney Femi Falana, sought N10 million from him for a presidential pardon.
Despite these claims, Bobrisky has disputed the recording's authenticity and has threatened legal action against VDM. Nevertheless, the House of Representatives has commenced an investigation into the alleged N15 million bribery, with hearings conducted by the Committees on Financial Crimes and Reformatory Institutions.
The committees have summoned Bobrisky, VDM, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyode, and officials from the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) to provide testimony. Bobrisky, however, did not attend, citing health concerns.
On October 21, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) apprehended him at the Seme border while he was attempting to exit the country. Subsequently, on November 1, reports emerged of his re-arrest by the EFCC at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos after he was removed from a KLM flight bound for Amsterdam.
On November 5, the 33-year-old crossdresser announced that he had left Nigeria to prioritize his mental health and well-being.
In his lawsuit against the EFCC and the National Assembly, filed on October 10 and shared on Instagram, Bobrisky requested a court order to prevent the EFCC and the National Assembly from "harassing, detaining, or declaring him wanted."
The lawsuit identifies the National Assembly as the first respondent and the EFCC as the second, with Bobrisky asserting that the assembly summoned him for investigation based on an unverified WhatsApp voice message leaked by VDM.
He stated that he was called to appear without any prior investigation of the audio and despite contesting the legitimacy of the call through his legal representation.
He further claimed that the assembly's neglect to authenticate the audio resulted in considerable emotional distress.
Bobrisky’s lawsuit includes the following: “The primary reason for the 1st respondent's invitation to the Applicant was based on a hearsay WhatsApp phone call disseminated by one Martins Vincent Otse (also known as Verydarkman), the authenticity of which the Applicant has disputed through his counsel’s correspondence dated 27 September 2024.
“The 1st respondent neglected to investigate the validity of the defamatory recording that was intentionally published by Martins Vincent Otse (also known as Verydarkman) and proceeded to invite the Applicant based on social media reports, leading to psychological and physical trauma for the Applicant due to a defamatory publication that served as a means of blackmail by the unscrupulous Martins Vincent Otse (aka Verydarkman), thereby infringing upon the Applicant’s right to privacy.”
He asserted that the assembly's invitation not only inflicted trauma but also breached his rights, subjected him to public mockery, and left him vulnerable to threats from unidentified individuals.
“The invitation from the 1st respondent resulted in numerous violations of the Applicant’s rights; he faced ridicule on social media, threats from unknown sources, fear of movement, damage to his dignity, invasion of his privacy, and a denial of his right to a fair hearing.”
“The 1st respondent refused the Applicant’s right to counsel and to examine witnesses called on the 30 days of September 2024, stating in total ignorance that persons invited to such panel are not entitled to be represented by counsel of choice, which is totally against the provision of Article 7 (c) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap.A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria the right to defence, including the right to be defended by counsel! of choice; also Section 36 (6) (c) and (d) of Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”
In the legal action, the crossdresser has filed a suit against the EFCC, seeking N200 million for alleged 'psychotic trauma' and demanding N1 billion from the National Assembly for purportedly infringing on his right to a fair hearing.
In the caption accompanying the lawsuit, Bobrisky accused the EFCC and various security agencies of human rights violations, stressing the urgent need for global and international acknowledgment of their ongoing neglect of individual freedoms and rights.
He further claimed that his arrest at the Seme border was instigated by the Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, which he asserts exacerbated his health issues.
“Despite the prior submission of this fundamental rights case, the EFCC continued to assault and harass me, forcibly removing me from a plane that was about to depart.
“Without any judicial order, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, directed the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigeria Police to apprehend and detain me, which aggravated my existing health problems. Subsequently, the EFCC transported me from their Lagos office to Abuja, disregarding the ongoing nature of this lawsuit. It is disgraceful that the EFCC shows no respect for the judiciary or for any security agencies that operate outside the law they profess to uphold.”
In a now-deleted Instagram post, Bobrisky addressed allegations stemming from a leaked audio involving VDM, in which it was claimed he borrowed N4 million to settle debts with the anti-graft agency and NCoS.
He clarified that the person in the recorded conversation, identified as Bintin, did not lend him N4 million but rather gifted it to him due to their relationship.
The crossdresser further alleged that Bintin's assertion of lending him N4 million arose from Bobrisky's refusal to enter into a romantic relationship with him.
He said: “Everything I’m going to type here this evening is nothing but the truth. I’m nice, but people take advantage of me because they know many dislike me for how I choose to live my life. I met this man called Bintin in America in 2017. Google ‘Bobrisky in America,’ and you’ll find a few clips online. He was the first person to host me in New York, America. He paid me $3,000 then for a meet and greet. Since he collected my number, we’ve been chatting on WhatsApp.
“I’ve lost that phone, or I would have shown you our chat. Fast forward to 2022, Bintin started asking me out. He said his wife had left him after noticing he liked me. I told myself, ‘I can’t date this one because he can’t handle my bills.’ But I started billing him to see if he was strong enough to pay. Last year, he came to Nigeria, but I refused to see him because he sent me his location and asked me to meet him. He got angry and stopped talking to me.”
The crossdresser disclosed that prior to receiving N4 million from Bintin while incarcerated at Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos, he had supported numerous events organized by Bintin as an influencer, doing so without any compensation.
He further mentioned that Bintin began to inform others that he had lent him money after the crossdresser chose not to meet with him.
“I changed my number at some point because he was always disturbing me about a relationship. This guy only wanted to give me money whenever he wanted me to come to him. He didn’t give me a penny for all the posts I did for him. I did all the posts because I love influencing and making people’s brands happy. In 2023, he returned to Nigeria and said he had a business deal for me. Who wouldn’t rush to make money after hearing about a business deal? I met him in Lekki Phase 1, and the moment he saw me, he grabbed and kissed me.
“I got upset and asked, ‘Why would you kiss me without my consent?’ Angrily, I left immediately. From then on, we stopped talking. Later, he heard about my arrest and reached out, asking, ‘Babe, do you need anything?’ I told him I did and asked for money. He sent N4 million to my brother’s account, saying he was coming to Nigeria and wanted us to go on an all-expenses-paid holiday. I still didn’t see him when I got out because I knew what he wanted. He got angry and demanded I refund his money, claiming he had lent it to me. I was shocked but didn’t want to argue with him. He kept calling to ask for his money until he flew back to the USA”, said Bobrisky.