"Bail is Free": Prominent Lawyer Counters Police PRO, Tells Legal Practitioners What To Do
- Nigerian Police Force PRO CSP Anietie Iniedu revealed new directives aimed at curbing extortion at police stations across the country
- The police spokesman disclosed contact lines Nigerians can use to report officers who demand payment for bail
- Prominent lawyer Stan Alieke backed the police position and urged Nigerians to read bail forms carefully before signing
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A prominent Nigerian lawyer, Stan Alieke, has backed the Nigerian Police Force's position that bail at police stations must not cost anyone a single naira, calling on legal practitioners and ordinary Nigerians to speak out whenever such demands are made.
Alieke made his remarks in response to comments by the Nigerian Police Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie O. Iniedu, who outlined a set of directives issued to officers on how to treat members of the public, particularly around bail procedures and extortion.
Source: Twitter
What the Police PRO said
Iniedu confirmed that the directives include a new rule banning POS operators from working within 200 metres of any police station. He acknowledged the directive was indeed new when asked directly.
The police spokesperson said bail forms already contain clear provisions stating that no payment is required, and he urged members of the public to read those documents carefully before signing them. He added that anyone asked to pay for bail should contact the Inspector-General of Police using dedicated telephone lines: 08057000001 and 080570000s02. A third number, 08057000003, was identified as a line for text messages, WhatsApp complaints, voice notes, and videos.
Alieke's position on free bail
Alieke said the core problem is that many Nigerians simply do not know their rights. He argued that greater public awareness would give citizens the confidence to push back against unlawful demands at police stations.
The lawyer noted that people often sign bail forms without reading them, which means they miss the part that explicitly states no money is owed.
He said that detail alone could help many people avoid paying bribes they are not legally required to pay.
Rather than paying when confronted with a demand, Alieke advised members of the public to immediately use their phones to reach the appropriate police authorities.
He also encouraged people to document any incidents of extortion and report them through the official complaint channels provided by the police.
The development comes as the Nigerian Police Force works to rebuild public trust and address long-standing complaints about how suspects and members of the public are treated at police stations across the country.
Court grants Peller ₦500k bail
Previously, Legit.ng reported that a Lagos State Magistrates' Court granted popular TikTok streamer Habeeb Hamzat, better known as Peller, bail of ₦500,000 following his arraignment after a confrontation with police officers along the Coastal Road in Lekki, Lagos.
Peller and his friend Bello Oladipo appeared before the court on Monday, July 6, after being arrested over an incident that occurred on July 2, 2026, at around 8 p.m.
Source: Legit.ng
