The Ogun State Judiciary on Friday announced far-reaching reforms in its bail bondsmen scheme, unveiling the 2025 Bondsmen Regulations and Practice Directions aimed at strengthening professionalism, accountability, and transparency in the justice system.
Speaking at the Second Bondsmen Stakeholders’ Forum held at the Judiciary Complex, Kobape Road, Abeokuta, the Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, said the new regulations were introduced after five years of lessons from the pioneering scheme, which remains the only licensed bondsmen system in Nigeria.
Justice Dipeolu revealed that the scheme had facilitated the release of over 10,000 defendants on bail since its inception in 2020—2,800 between January 2021 and October 2023, and more than 8,000 between October 2023 and July 2025.
“This is not merely a statistic; it represents over 10,000 individuals whose rights to liberty and presumption of innocence have been preserved, and a significant alleviation of pressure on our Correctional Centres,” she said.
The Chief Judge noted that the scheme had been instrumental in reducing congestion in prisons, curbing corruption in the bail process, and restoring public confidence in the courts. She added that a new firm, Praise & Moremi Bail and Bonds Limited, had been licensed, raising the number of registered bondsmen in the state to three.
Justice Dipeolu emphasized that the judiciary’s next frontier is a digitalized bail system where applications, surety verification, and court notifications will be processed through a single electronic portal.
“Our vision is to integrate the bondsman system into a centralized digital platform that drastically reduces paperwork, minimizes corruption, and ensures real-time management of the justice chain. The future of bail in Ogun State is digital,” the Chief Judge declared.
In his presentation, the Bonds Administrator, Olakulehin Oke, explained that the 2025 regulations introduced sweeping changes across eight key areas, including stricter financial requirements, codified professional duties, tougher penalties for errant bondsmen, and a centralized forfeiture process.
According to him, application fees have risen from ₦10,000 in 2019 to ₦50,000, while license categories now require stronger capital thresholds—₦20m for Category A, ₦15m for Category B, and ₦10m for Category C.
He stressed that these changes will ensure only financially capable and serious players remain in the business.
“The new rules are designed to enhance professionalism, clarify procedures, strengthen financial safeguards, and increase accountability. They protect the courts, defendants, and the public by ensuring bondsmen have the resources and integrity to meet their obligations,” Oke said.
The regulations also introduce clear duties of bondsmen such as risk assessment, ensuring court appearances, prohibition of bribery and coercion, and mandatory reporting of violations. Bondsmen who record three absconding clients within six months risk losing their licenses.
Delivering his remarks, the Chairman of the Bondsmen Licensing Board, Justice O. Ogunfowora, disclosed that the scheme has recorded an absconding rate of just 3.04%, with 212 out of 243 absconders swiftly rearrested, a feat he described as unmatched by the traditional surety system.
He added that bondsmen had refunded deposits to defendants within 24 hours of case conclusion, while total forfeitures now exceed ₦2.8m, underscoring the financial integrity of the system.
Justice Ogunfowora further revealed the launch of a Centralized Bondsmen Database in January 2025, designed to track defendants in real-time, monitor court appearances, and provide transparent oversight of licensed firms.
“This scheme has eradicated the menace of fake sureties and touts, created over 80 direct jobs, and restored dignity to the bail process. The 2025 regulations are not a revision but a revolution, future-proofing the scheme through technology and strict compliance,” he said.
Stakeholders at the forum described the reforms as a model for national pretrial justice reform, with Ogun State positioning itself as the benchmark for other states in Nigeria.
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