Just In: New Twist as FG Drags MTN to Court, Gives Reason

• The federal government, through its agency, NCC, has filed criminal charges against the telecom giant, MTN
• In suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/111/2024 at the federal high court in Abuja, the NCC filed criminal charges against MTN, Fun Mobile Ltd., and Yahaya Maibe
• The NCC’s allegation bothers alleged copyright infringement of using Maleke Idowu Moye’s musical works without permission

FCT, Abuja – MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd. and four others are facing criminal accusations from the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) over an alleged copyright infringement.

The telecom giant was dragged before the Federal High Court in Abuja in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/111/2024, which journalists obtained on Monday, March 25.

FG takes MTN before the federal high court in Abuja
Photo Credit: Court of Appeal, MTN NigeriaSource: Twitter

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Karl Toriola, the CEO of MTN Nigeria, Nkeakam Abhulimen, Fun Mobile Ltd., and Yahaya Maibe are the other four defendants in the case, Daily Nigerian reported.

The NCC filed a three-count accusation alleging that the defendants violated Maleke Idowu Moye’s musical works without his permission or agreement between 2010 and 2017 by “offering for sale, selling, and trading for business.”

The Commission claimed that the defendants had utilized Maleke’s sound recordings and musical compositions with surviving copyright as Caller Ring Back Tunes without the artist’s consent.

The artist was accused of infringing on the rights to certain sound recordings and musical works, including 911, Minimini-Wana Wana, Stop Racism, Ewole, 911 instrumental, Radio, Low Waist, and No Bother.

Why FG takes MTN to court

Additionally, it was claimed that the defendants violated the artist’s rights by distributing the musical pieces to their subscribers without permission.

The defendants were accused in the third count of possessing the artist’s sound recordings and musical compositions save for personal or household use.

The NCC claims that the claimed offences violate and are subject to penalties under the Copyright Act, Cap. C28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, sections 20 (2) (a) (b) and (c).

No judge has yet been assigned to the case, and no mentioned date has been set.

Source: TheTalk.NG

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