LAGOS/Nigeria: A digital platform designed to improve the verification of bail sureties and streamline court records is being introduced across five states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in an initiative aimed at addressing challenges associated with bail administration and prolonged pre-trial detention.
Known as the Bail Information Management System (BIMS), the technology was developed and deployed by Nigerian LegalTech firm, Global T&T New Solutions Limited, with integration to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to enable courts to authenticate the identities of individuals standing as sureties for defendants.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Musbau Famuyiwa, disclosed this during a media briefing, explaining that the platform would provide judicial officers with access to records that could help them assess the credibility of proposed sureties before making decisions on bail applications.
According to Famuyiwa, the system is designed to address situations in which individuals allegedly operate as professional sureties, sometimes presenting questionable personal information, addresses and financial documents to secure the release of defendants.
He explained that BIMS would enable courts to establish the identities of such individuals and access information about their previous involvement in bail transactions across participating judicial locations.
Famuyiwa, however, emphasised that the technology would not determine whether a defendant should be granted bail, as that responsibility remains entirely with the court.
Rather, it would provide reliable information to support judicial officers in exercising their discretion and determining whether proposed sureties meet the necessary requirements.
He said the availability of verified records could also discourage the exploitation of defendants and their families by professional sureties who allegedly demand substantial payments for their services.
The system is expected to encourage defendants to engage genuine family members and other qualified individuals as sureties, while improving the ability of courts to monitor compliance with bail conditions.
Famuyiwa identified Abia, Plateau, Anambra, Delta and Edo states, alongside the FCT, as the locations covered by the pilot expansion.
The system has been installed in Umuahia, Jos, Onitsha, Asaba, Benin City and Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, respectively.
He disclosed that the installation exercise commenced in July 2026 and was completed on September 24, beginning with the FCT and concluding in Anambra State.
The expansion is being supported by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme in partnership with the judiciaries of the participating states.
Famuyiwa expressed optimism that the pilot phase would encourage the participating jurisdictions to extend the technology to additional judicial districts, drawing on the experience of Lagos State, where BIMS was first introduced.
The Lagos initiative, launched in November 2022, established a digital framework for recording and tracking defendants and their sureties, providing judicial officers with access to information relevant to bail administration.
The expansion to other jurisdictions is expected to strengthen the use of technology in criminal justice administration and provide courts with better tools for managing bail-related information.
For Delta State, where the system has been installed in Asaba, the initiative represents another step towards modernising judicial processes and improving the management of cases involving defendants awaiting trial.
