It’s good to be free; Agba Jalingo regains freedom

CrossRiverWatch publisher Agba Jalingo has been released after spending about five months in detention.

Jalingo’s release comes after a federal high court in Calabar granted him a bail of N10 million on Thursday, February 13.

The Cross Rivers State Government charged Jalingo with terrorism and conspiracy to remove elected governor from office.

Jalingo was first arraigned on August 22, 2019, after he published a story on how Ben Ayade, governor of Cross River, allegedly approved and diverted N500 million meant for the state’s microfinance bank.

He was later arraigned at the Federal High Court 2 in Calabar after 34 days in custody on September 25, 2019, for the pre-trial hearing of his bail application after reports of his ill health sparked outrage.

Ayade denied involvement in the trial of Jalingo.

He said the federal government was behind the journalist’s case over his involvement in the #RevolutionNow protest led by Sahara Reporters publisher Omoyele Sowore.

Details later