The Chief Executive Officer of NetNaija Media Enterprises, Emmanuel Analike, has been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja following his arraignment over alleged copyright infringement.
Analike was brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) on multiple charges related to copyright violations. The charges include possession of infringing copies of works, making infringing copies, distribution of infringing materials, and making such copies available to others.
Presiding over the case, Justice Suleiman Liman ordered that the NetNaija boss be remanded in custody pending the court’s decision on his bail application, which is scheduled for March 9.
The judge fixed the date after Analike’s counsel, Nnemeka Ejiofor, informed the court that a bail application had already been filed. According to Ejiofor, the application was submitted on Monday and supported by a 23-paragraph affidavit alongside a written address.
However, Justice Liman declined to deliver a bench ruling on the bail request immediately and adjourned the matter to March 9 for a decision.
Earlier in the proceedings, the prosecution counsel and Head of Legal Services at the NCC, Gladys Isaac-Ojo, told the court that the case was slated for arraignment. She stated that the defendant allegedly committed offences punishable under Section 44(1)(a) of the Copyright Act, 2022.
When the charges were read to him, Analike pleaded not guilty.
Speaking with journalists after the court session, Isaac-Ojo said the arrest followed allegations of online piracy involving copyrighted works. According to her, the alleged infringement involved sound recordings and audiovisual content such as movies belonging to both local and international creators.
She described the arraignment as a significant development for the commission.
“We are pleased that after several efforts we were able to bring him before the court. It is a major step and a remarkable achievement for the Nigerian Copyright Commission,” she said.
Isaac-Ojo noted that while the defendant has the legal right to apply for bail, the decision ultimately rests with the court.
“We will return to court on Monday for the ruling on the bail application. After that, the court will set a date for the trial to begin,” she added.
She further explained that both Analike and his company were charged because the alleged offences were carried out through the platform.
“The law allows us to charge both an individual and the company involved in such infringements. In this case, the alleged act was carried out through NetNaija, an online platform known for movie and music downloads,” she said.