Ogundipe: Free at last
BY TAIWO FAROTIMI
Samuel Ogundipe, reporter with the Premium Times, a Nigerian online newspaper has regained his freedom. Ogundipe was granted bail Friday morning by magistrate Abdulwahab Mohammed of the Kubwa Grade 1 Magistrate Court in Kubwa, Abuja.
The newspaper got information that Ogundipe was to be taken to court again on Friday and so asked his lawyer, Jiti Ogunye. While in court before Magistrate Mohammed , the same judge who had ordered his detention on police request, Ogunye argued for bail. It was not opposed by the police, so the magistrate granted the request. He was asked to pay N500,000 and provide a surety who is resident within the jurisdiction of the court.
The conditions were met and Ogundipe was allowed to go.
Earlier on Thursday, Moshood Jimoh, Force Headquarters spokesman had in a statement alleged that the police arrested Ogundipe because he was in possession of some classified document that could cause a breach of national security.
But the newspaper responded by denying the claim, insisting that the content of the report in the police letter to the acting president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo was also published by other newspaper house.
There had been protests from local and international groups over the detention of Ogundipe since last Tuesday.
