The Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) says it has sued the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) for N10 billion over the seizure of its operating licence.
This was contained in a statement signed by the spokesperson of the society, Tolulope Balogun, on Wednesday.
“COSON had gone to the Federal High Court to seek damages of eight billion naira from the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), for the undemocratic, unlawful and unconstitutional suspension of the approval and operating license of the plaintiff…,” it said.
COSON is also seeking an additional N2 billion in compensation for the damage its reputation has suffered due to the actions of the NCC.
It also said the action was taken in response to the negative publicity sustained against it by the NCC, following the suspension of its operating licence and the freezing of its bank accounts, which it termed ‘unconstitutional and unlawful’.
According to the statement, the 63-paragraph statement of claim in suit No FHC/L/CS/425/2020 was filed by a Lagos-based lawyer, James Ononiwu, on behalf of the body.
In the suit, COSON averred that the Copyright Act in Section 39 (2) gives the NCC the power to approve collecting societies such as itself.
The statement also explains that the law does not, in any way, give the NCC the power to suspend or restrict the approval given to any collecting society or freeze its bank accounts without an order of the court.
COSON had in a press conference held on March 11 termed the NCC a ‘monster’ and demanded the resignation of its director-general, John Asein, for its role in the leadership tussle between the chairman of COSON, Tony Okoroji, and his opponent, Efe Omoregbe.
