The Ogun State Bondsmen Scheme has secured the release of more than 8,000 defendants since its launch five years ago, easing overcrowding in correctional centres and reforming the state’s bail process.
Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, disclosed the figures on Friday at the second Bondsmen Stakeholders Forum held at the Judiciary Complex in Abeokuta. She noted that the initiative has not only improved access to justice but also helped restore confidence in a bail system previously marred by corruption and fake sureties.
Between January 2021 and October 2023, the scheme facilitated the release of 2,800 defendants. That number rose sharply between October 2023 and July 2025, thanks to the work of licensed bail companies Chrysalis Bail and Bond Limited and Egba Kelisco Bail and Bond Limited. A new firm, Praise and Moremi Bail and Bonds Limited, has now been licensed, bringing the total number of registered operators to three.
Justice Dipeolu explained that challenges such as defendants fleeing after being granted bail prompted the introduction of the 2025 Bondsmen Regulations, which set stricter rules and higher financial thresholds for licences. The new rules also provide sanctions for bondsmen whose clients abscond repeatedly.
She said the state judiciary has already started moving towards a digital future, with a database created in January 2025 to capture records of all bail cases under the scheme. Plans are underway to integrate the bondsmen system into a centralised platform that will allow bail applications, surety checks, and court updates to be handled electronically, cutting down on paperwork and reducing opportunities for corruption.
Chairman of the Ogun State Bondsmen Licensing Board, Justice Olugboyega Ogunfowora, said that out of 243 cases where defendants attempted to jump bail, 212 were rearrested, showing that the system is working effectively. He added that the scheme has also eliminated touting and created jobs, with more than 80 people employed across the licensed bail firms.
Bond administrator, Mr. Olakulehin Oke, explained that under the new rules, licence categories now require higher financial backing: Category A operators must provide ₦20 million and above, Category B ₦15 million, and Category C ₦10 million. Bondsmen who fail to meet the rules risk suspension or permanent loss of licence.
Prison overcrowding continues to challenge Nigeria’s justice system, with many detainees unable to meet bail terms. The bondsmen scheme, along with periodic releases granted by judges and state authorities, is seen as an important step toward easing the problem.
Justice Dipeolu also confirmed that at least 149 inmates have been freed from correctional centres in Ogun State this year under the judiciary’s routine jail delivery exercise.