Okuneye Idris, better known to his legion of followers as Bobrisky, was reportedly removed from an Amsterdam-bound KLM flight and detained by immigration officers late Thursday night. The popular cross-dresser took to Instagram to announce the arrest, claiming he had sustained injuries during a scuffle with officials.
In a plea to his followers, Bobrisky alleged that Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) orchestrated the arrest. “Nigerians help me,” he wrote. “EFCC just arrested me. I’m badly injured.”
The arrest marks the latest chapter in an ongoing saga that began in April 2024, when Bobrisky was sentenced to six months by the Federal High Court in Lagos for currency-related offenses. While initially detained in Kirikiri Prison, reports suggested his imprisonment was short-lived. Allegations surfaced that, after only three weeks, he was relocated under questionable circumstances, with accusations that ₦15 million in bribes were paid to facilitate his transfer to a private location. This led to significant public outcry over possible preferential treatment.
Further controversy arose in September when VeryDarkMan, a prominent social media influencer, posted a leaked audio recording that purportedly featured Bobrisky. In the recording, he allegedly claimed that music artist Falz and his father, prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana, had approached him during his detention, requesting ₦10 million to secure a presidential pardon.
The Falanas swiftly responded with a cease-and-desist letter on 16 October 2024, calling the claims defamatory and demanding a public apology. Bobrisky, however, denied making the statements, urging the Falanas to hold VeryDarkMan accountable for the leak.
The latest arrest has reignited fierce debate over the allegations against Bobrisky, his perceived treatment by law enforcement, and the broader implications of his case in Nigeria’s legal landscape.