A court gavel.
Premium Times reporter, Mr Samuel Ogundipe, has been granted bail and released.
Magistrate Abdulwahab Mohammed of the Kubwa Grade 1 Magistrate Court in Kubwa, Abuja granted the reporter bail on Friday, three days after he was arrested by the police.
READ ALSO: Premium Times Asks Osinbajo To Intervene In Its Reporter’s Arrest
The online newspaper said the judge had initially heard the case on Wednesday when Mr Ogundipe was reportedly arraigned secretly, without being allowed a legal representation.
“On that day, Mr Mohammed granted a request by the police that the journalist be detained for five days until August 20.
“However, on Friday morning, Premium Times learnt Mr Ogundipe was to be taken to the same court. The company’s lawyer was thus present at the court.”
During the proceedings on Friday, according to Premium Times, the lawyer argued for the bail of the reporter and the request was not opposed by the police counsel.
The judge was said to have granted the journalist bail in the sum of N500,000 with a surety who must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court.
The bail conditions were met and Mr Ogundipe was released.
The newspaper had reported that its reporter was arrested and detained by the police on Tuesday, through the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The arrest was condemned by individuals and organisations, including the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Amnesty International, among others.
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