The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of NetNaija Media Enterprises Chief Executive Officer, Emmanuel Analike, at the Kuje Correctional Centre following his arraignment over alleged copyright infringement.
The order was issued by Suleiman Liman of the Federal High Court after the defence counsel, Nnemeka Ejiofor, informed the court that a formal bail application had already been filed for the defendant.
Ejiofor told the court that the bail request was submitted on Monday and supported by a 23-paragraph affidavit along with a written address. He subsequently moved the application, noting that it was filed within 48 hours of Analike’s arraignment.
However, Justice Liman declined to rule immediately on the application. Instead, the court adjourned proceedings until March 9 to deliver a ruling on the bail request. Pending that decision, the judge ordered that Analike remain in custody at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Earlier in the proceedings, the prosecution counsel, Gladys Isaac-Ojo, who heads the legal unit of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), informed the court that the case had been scheduled for the defendant’s arraignment.
According to the prosecution, Analike is accused of committing offences contrary to Section 44(1)(a) of the Copyright Act 2022. The charges relate to alleged copyright violations involving digital media content distributed through an online platform.
When the charges were read in court, the defendant pleaded not guilty.
The four-count charge filed against Analike includes allegations of possessing infringing copies of copyrighted works, making unauthorized reproductions, distributing the materials, and making the copies available to members of the public.
Prosecutors allege that the activities involved copyrighted sound recordings and audiovisual works, including movies belonging to both Nigerian and international rights holders.
Anti-Piracy Campaign
Speaking with journalists after the court session, Isaac-Ojo described the arraignment as a significant step in the commission’s enforcement campaign against online piracy. She said the suspect was arrested following investigations into alleged digital piracy involving the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted movies and music.
According to her, the case represents an important milestone for the commission as it intensifies efforts to curb copyright violations within Nigeria’s digital media ecosystem. She also noted that the defence team was within its rights to seek bail and that the court would ultimately determine whether the request should be granted.
NetNaija, the platform linked to the case, was founded in March 2009 and grew into one of Nigeria’s most popular entertainment and media download websites. Originally launched as ProudlyBoiz before rebranding to NetNaija.com and later TheNetNaija, the platform became widely known for hosting movies, music, entertainment news and gossip.
In 2023, the website announced that it would discontinue some of its services to the public and focus on other sections of its operations. In a statement published on its website at the time, the company said the project began as a personal hobby, later evolved into a group archive, and eventually gained widespread popularity among entertainment fans.
