My Neighbour Told Me To Bring 2 Million Naira For Bail, I Just Laugh

A woman came to my office this morning, eyes red. Her husband was arrested over a small land matter in Ikorodu. Somebody told her bail is 2 million naira. She was already calling her brother in Abuja to borrow the money.

I asked her one question. Who told you this? She said one man near the station, a 'connection man'. Ah. I had to sit her down. Bail is not a bribe. Under our law, bail is meant to secure your appearance in court, not to punish you before trial. For a simple land matter, that figure is nonsense.

The man who gave her that quote was not a lawyer. He was not a court official. He was just somebody eating from people's fear. This is why I keep saying it. Know your rights before you enter any station. Ask for the charge sheet. Ask for the case file number. If you cannot afford a lawyer, the Legal Aid Council exists for this exact reason.

She left my office with a written list of what to do. No 2 million. She called me later to say they granted bail on self recognisance. So tell me, how many people don pay that kind of money for nothing because nobody told them the truth?