…to claim N1m daily for property seized
The Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN) has filed a suit at the Federal High Court, Lagos to enforce its fundamental and constitutional rights and those of its officials, asking for an award of N100 Million as damages against the Nigerian Copyright Commission and 4 others.
It has also demanded that the NCC should within seven days return all materials, files, documents and computers illegally removed from its offices in a recent raid, otherwise it would be claiming One Million Naira per day for the number of days which the materials remain in the custody of the NCC.
In Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1163/12 filed on 3rd October 2012, MCSN and its 6 other officials, namely, Olukayode Ajayi, Benson Yusuf, Omolara Banjo, Halim Mohammed, Louis Udoh and Mayo Ayilaran are asking for the following reliefs among others: An Order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondents whether by themselves, officers, agents and privies from further harassing, intimidating, detaining or further arresting the Applicants or any of its officers or agents in the course of performing their lawful and legal duties and administering their property rights, an order of the Honourable Court awarding compensation for the Applicants and against the Respondents (jointly and severally) in the sum N50 Million for unlawful disruption and interference in 1st Applicant's lawful businesses and an order of the Honourable Court awarding compensation for the Applicants and against the Respondents in the sum of N50 Million (jointly and severally) for threat to arrest, unlawful arrest, detention, intimidation and harassment of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th 7th and 8th Applicants.
Other Defendants in the suit apart from the Nigerian Copyright Commission are the Director General of the NCC (Afam Ezekude), Mr. Amodu Augustine Alewu, Mr. Mathew D. J. Ojo and the Inspector General of Police.
The suit was filed on behalf MCSN and its officials by Dr. Ope Banwo of Banwo & Igbokwe (Solicitors) and a hearing date was being expected.
