Is bail truly free in Nigeria?

Is bail truly free in Nigeria?

I was charged N10,000 as bail after my brother was arrested without course

With the insistent effort of the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police to give the Police a new face, officers of the Nigeria police still charge huge amount money for bail from innocent citizen who have done nothing in the first place to warrant an arrest.

Mr Mojibola, B. recounts his ordeal in a Police station recently, “My visit to the police station last Monday to secure the bail of a brother who resides within my neighbourhood made me wonder if bail will ever be free in Nigeria as a huge sum of 10,000(Ten thousand naira) was demanded from me by the investigating police officer as a precondition for bail, though I eventually was able to negotiate it to #3,000 (Three thousand naira).

I became worried and hopeless when on getting to the counter I saw boldly written notice in red ink on the wall “BAIL IS FREE” I became distraught and wondered when bail will truly be free in practise and not just for the record.

In february 2012, a sales distributor of Rites Food Ltd., Ademola Adedeji, died in police custody less than 24 hours after his wife and friends failed to produce one million Naira the investigating Police offices demanded as bail.

Frequently, lawyers and the police chiefs claim bail is free. It is boldly written in most police stations. However, victims are extorted large sums daily to secure the bail of friends and family. Suspects who fail to produce the bail fee are often left to rot in jail.

CR Mojibola B.

2 comments for “Is bail truly free in Nigeria?

Comments are closed.