Ogun Bondsmen Programme Secures Release of 8,000+ Defendants, Eases Prison Congestion
Ogun Bondsmen Programme Secures Release of 8,000+ Defendants, Eases Prison Congestion
The Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, announced on Friday that over 8,000 defendants have been granted bail and released through the Ogun Bondsmen Scheme since its launch five years ago.
She noted that the initiative has been instrumental in decongesting correctional facilities across the state while also reforming a bail system previously marred by corruption and inefficiency.
Justice Dipeolu made this known during the opening of the second edition of the Bondsmen Stakeholders’ Forum, held at the Ceremonial Court of the Judiciary Complex, Kobape Road, Abeokuta.
“At our last meeting, we celebrated the release of 2,800 defendants between January 2021 and October 2023. I am pleased to report that from October 2023 to July 2025, that number has risen significantly,” she stated.
Thanks to the diligent work of our licensed bondsmen, Chrysalis Bail and Bond Limited and Egba Kelisco Bail and Bond Limited, we have now facilitated the release of over 8,000 defendants awaiting trial.
“This is not simply a statistic; it represents over 8,000 individuals whose rights to liberty and presumption of innocence have been preserved, significantly alleviating the immense pressure on our correctional institutions,” she said.
The Chief Judge stressed that the progress made over the years is a testament to the effectiveness of the scheme and a key achievement of her administration’s seven-point agenda.
She also announced the licensing of a new company, Praise and Moremi Bail and Bonds Limited, which brings the total number of licensed bondsmen operating in the state to three.
However, Justice Dipeolu acknowledged challenges such as defendants absconding after being granted bail, noting this has necessitated the introduction of the 2025 Bondsmen Regulations.
She explained that this enhanced regulatory framework is designed to build upon the progress achieved, strengthening and standardising the operation of the scheme.
The Chief Judge urged bondsmen to embrace the judiciary’s digital vision by adopting technology and innovating their processes to align with this digital future.
“Our vision is to integrate the bondsmen system into a centralised digital platform. Imagine a future where bail applications, surety verifications, bondsmen engagements, and court notifications are processed seamlessly through a single portal.
“This will drastically reduce paperwork, minimise human interaction and potential corruption, and provide real-time data for better management across the justice chain.
“In pursuit of this goal, we established a digital database in January 2025 that captures information on all defendants granted bail through bondsmen — an important first step towards digitising the entire bail process,” she added.
At the event, Chairman of the Ogun State Bondsmen Licensing Board, Justice Olugboyega Ogunfowora, commended the scheme’s impact on prison decongestion but disclosed that of the 243 defendants who absconded, 212 were quickly rearrested thanks to the system’s efficiency.
He explained that the initiative has eliminated the problem of fake sureties, touts, and corrupt officials exploiting the bail process, while also creating jobs — with the two licensed bondsmen companies employing more than 80 staff.
Justice Ogunfowora further highlighted the introduction of a Centralised Bondsmen Database, a digital platform that provides real-time information on all defendants released through bondsmen, tracks court appearances, and ensures a transparent, fraud-resistant process.
Also speaking, the state’s bond administrator, Mr. Olakulehin Oke, outlined updates in the 2025 Bondsmen Regulations, which include higher financial thresholds for licence categories: Category A increased from ₦10 million to ₦20 million and above; Category B from ₦5 million to ₦15 million; and Category C from ₦5 million to ₦10 million.
Oke cautioned that any bondsman whose three clients abscond within six months will face licence revocation, while others who breach the regulations risk up to a four-year suspension, among other penalties designed to strengthen the scheme.
Prison overcrowding remains a significant challenge to justice delivery in Nigeria, worsened when defendants who qualify for bail remain behind bars because they cannot meet bail terms. Programmes like the bondsmen scheme, alongside periodic releases granted by the President, governors, and Chief Judges on health or compassionate grounds, are critical to tackling the problem.
Justice Dipeolu also disclosed that at least 149 inmates have been freed this year from correctional centres across Ogun State during the judiciary’s jail delivery exercise.
