MTN Nigeria Communications Limited has taken legal action against the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), seeking to have the copyright infringement case brought against it dismissed.Â
The telecommunications giant argued that the case, which accuses it of using copyrighted material without authorization, is flawed.
The case, filed by the NCC, alleged that MTN Nigeria and other parties utilized several soundtracks as callback ringtones without the consent of the original owners.
The NCC’s investigation claimed that MTN and others had committed copyright offenses by using musical works without authorization.
However, MTN’s lawyer contended that the case should be struck out due to technicalities.
The defence argued that the signature on the charge sheet cannot be traced to any authorized legal practitioner in Nigeria. Additionally, MTN claims that as a corporate entity, it is not subject to the jurisdiction of the court in this matter.
During the recent court proceedings, MTN’s motion challenging the court’s jurisdiction was discussed, but the motion was not found in the court’s file. The court has adjourned the case to May 14 for the defendants to enter their pleas.
As this legal battle unfolds, it reflects the complexities surrounding copyright enforcement in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
