A reporter for Premium Times, Mr. Samuel Ogundipe, who has been detained since Tuesday by the police in Abuja, has been released.
Premium Times said on Friday in Abuja that Ogundipe was granted bail following his arraignment at a Kubua Grade 1 Magistrate’s Court presided over by Abdulwahab Mohammed.
Ogundipe, it was further learnt was granted bail in the sum of N500, 000 and a surety who must be resident within the court’s jurisdiction.
The bail conditions were met and the journalist was released.
The journalist was arrested last Tuesday by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) operatives over the publication of the report of a police investigation into the invasion of the national assembly by the Department of State Services (DSS), and was remanded in police custody till today when he was granted bail.
The police had reportedly asked the reporter to disclose how he obtained the letter the inspector general of police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, wrote to the Acting President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on the sacked director general of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Lawal Daura.
In a statement in Abuja on Thursday, force public relations officer, Mr. Jimoh Moshood said: “The Force is categorically stating that Ogundipe is being investigated and prosecuted for the offences of theft and unlawful possession of restricted and classified documents inimical to state/national security that can jeopardise peace, breakdown of law and order capable of precipitating crisis in the country.
“Ogundipe is also being investigated and prosecuted under other offences which violate Official Secret Act, Cyber Crime Act, and the Penal Code for which he has volunteered statements and is standing trial.”
