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Five journalists arrested by the Federal Capital Territory Police command on Saturday, February 1, for allegedly pranking people at premises of the Wuse District Hospital have been granted bail by a Magistrate Court, Wuse.

The journalists - Pricilla Ajeshola, Jacob Orji, Abayomi Adedoyin, Peggy Shande, and David Gold Enemingin - since their arrest have remained in Police custody until their arraignment before the court on Monday, February 3. In a short ruling, Senior Magistrate Musa Jobbo, granted the journalists bail in the sum of N100,000 each and a surety who must be resident in the FCT. A statement by the media officer of the TheNigerian News Group, Lawrence Audu said the owners of Television Nigerian, express their profound appreciation to all partners, stakeholders, organizations and everyone that stood by them during the ordeal. Audu said the staff of the organisation were paraded like common criminals and eventually arraigned on Monday, February 3, for performing their legitimate duty as journalists. Thanking the chairman of the FCT chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Emmanuel Ogbeche, NUJ members, lawyers, civil society organisations for standing up against the action by the Police, Audu said TheNigerian News Group is ready to clear its name and defend the cause which we stand for in the society. "This does not, however, rule out the option of amicable resolution of the issues with the FCT Administration towards building the nation of our dream," Audu said. He said the organisation as a responsible and upcoming conglomerate does not wish that this in any further coat the image of our dear nation as a country that represses free speech and media independence. Audu added: "The overzealous persons who ordered this inhuman treatment of our staff do not represent the views of our countrymen and women or the leadership of our beloved country under the current administration of President Buhari." "TheNigerian spirit cannot be broken until our mission to change the narrative is achieved. Nothing shall discourage us!" he said. Meanwhile It was previously reported that the spokesperson for the FCT Police command, Anjuguri Manza, while leading the parade of the journalists said that the suspects who are alleged pranksters had visited the Wuse District Hospital. Manza said the journalists claimed that one of them had been infected by the Coronavirus to cause confusion as well as a disruption of normal health service delivery at the hospital.