RULAAC petitions Ogun State Chief Judge over alleged commercialisation of bail, misconduct of bondsmen
By Ishaya Ibrahim
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), a civil society organisation focused on justice sector reforms, has formally petitioned the Chief Judge of Ogun State, raising serious allegations of irregularities in bail administration at the state’s magistrate courts.
In a letter dated 18 February 2026, addressed to the Honourable Chief Judge at the High Court Complex in Isabo, Abeokuta, RULAAC’s Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, highlighted concerns over what the group describes as the “commercialisation of bail,” excessive charges by bondsmen, and interference with defence counsel.
The petition points to recurring reports of disproportionate bail sums set for minor, bailable offences—often reaching ₦2 million or higher—pushing defendants toward private bondsmen.
Bondsmen reportedly charge 10% or more of the bond amount (plus additional fees), resulting in payments as high as ₦300,000 before trial. This, RULAAC argues, undermines the constitutional presumption of innocence and turns bail into a de facto financial penalty rather than a means to secure attendance at trial.
Particular emphasis was placed on arbitrary verification fees demanded by bondsmen for confirming sureties’ residences, even within the same magisterial jurisdiction. One cited example involved ₦60,000 allegedly charged to verify two sureties in Mowe. The group criticised the lack of a fixed, transparent fee structure or publicly available tariff, creating opportunities for exploitation.
RULAAC also alleged touting and unprofessional conduct by bondsmen, including lurking around court premises, approaching defendants directly (often bypassing their lawyers), and soliciting contact details from relatives to demand fees. Such practices, if confirmed, turn court environments into “commercial marketplaces” for bail transactions, the petition stated.
Further claims include interference with defence counsel, where bondsmen allegedly perfect bail without consulting lawyers who secured the orders, sidelining pro bono representation for indigent defendants and limiting accused persons’ freedom to choose between using a lawyer (where permissible) or a bondsman.
The organisation warned that these issues erode public confidence in the judiciary, commercialise court processes, exploit vulnerable defendants and their families, and weaken the role of legal practitioners in ensuring access to justice.
RULAAC urged the Chief Judge to take immediate action, including:; constituting an urgent administrative inquiry into bail and bondsmen practices in Ogun State magistrate courts, issuing Practice Directions with proportionate bail benchmarks for common bailable offences and developing and publishing a fixed, jurisdiction-based verification fee schedule.
RULAAC also seeks for the regulation of bondsmen conduct in court premises to prohibit touting and direct solicitation, and mandating clear information to accused persons about their right to choose bail perfection methods.
Also requested is the establishment of a complaint and disciplinary framework for bondsmen misconduct, and the protection of lawyers and litigants from victimisation for raising such concerns.
