The Chief Executive Officer of NetNaija Media Enterprises, Emmanuel Analike, has been remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre after being arraigned over alleged copyright infringement.
Analike was brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) on charges including possession, reproduction, and distribution of pirated works.
Presiding judge, Suleiman Liman, ordered that the defendant remain in custody at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending a ruling on his bail application scheduled for March 9.
The date was fixed after Analike’s lawyer, Nnemeka Ejiofor, informed the court that a bail application had already been filed. According to him, the motion—submitted on Monday—was supported by a 23-paragraph affidavit and a written address. However, the judge declined to deliver an immediate ruling and adjourned the matter for consideration of the bail request.
Earlier, prosecuting counsel Gladys Isaac-Ojo, head of the NCC’s legal unit, told the court that the case was brought for arraignment and alleged that the offences violated Section 44(1)(a) of the Copyright Act 2022.
Analike pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Speaking with journalists after the court session, Isaac-Ojo explained that the suspect was arrested over allegations of online piracy involving copyrighted materials, including sound recordings and audiovisual works such as movies belonging to both local and international creators.
She described the arraignment as a major step forward for the commission, noting that while the trial is yet to begin, bringing the defendant before the court represents progress in the fight against online piracy.
Isaac-Ojo added that the defence team has the legal right to seek bail, and the court will decide on the request when it reconvenes on March 9 before setting a date for trial.
She further stated that both the individual and his company could be prosecuted since the alleged infringement was carried out through the NetNaija platform, an online site known for distributing movies and music downloads.