All the accounts of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) with most Nigerian Banks, particularly Diamond Bank of Nigeria Plc have been frozen by an order of a Lagos High Court Judge, Honourable Justice Olateru-Olagbegi.

Through an order of Garnishee nisi secured by the Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN) against Diamond Bank of Nigeria Plc attaching the accounts of the Nigerian Copyright Commission in suit No. NRJ/08/2011 on 16th of November,  2011 all the accounts of the NCC held by the bank were frozen, thus preventing the Commission from further accessing the accounts.

On Wednesday, December 13, 2011, the NCC through its lawyers approached the Lagos High Court seeking to discharge the Garnishee Order Nisi on the claim that the salaries of its staff have not been paid since November 2011 as the attached accounts contained the salaries and emoluments of the staff.

MCSN’s lawyer, Mr. Olumide Ekisola of Adejumo, Ekisola and Ezeani law firm, replied that there was nothing in the processes filed by the NCC showing that the NCC’s accounts with a private bank is a consolidated account and furthermore that since all the issues and authorities relied upon are already contained in the affidavits and written addresses filed before the court, they are ready to take the applications.

After the judge took arguments from both parties and adoption of their, the judge reserved his ruling on the matter to a date to be communicated to the parties.

Earlier in the hearing, the Director General of the NCC, Mr. Amodu Augustine Alewu, Mr. Henry Njoku and Inspector General of Police who are co-judgment debtors in the case were discharged from the proceedings based on an application filed by MCSN to discontinue with the four parties.  NCC initially opposed the discontinuation application but later withdrew its opposition.

Contacted for comments after the day’s court hearing both MCSN’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Orits Williki and Mayo Ayilaran, declined stating that being matter still pending before the court, they cannot comment on it, rather they directed any question or inquiries to their lawyers.  Mr. Ekisola in his own comment only stated that all he has to say are already before the Honourable Court and therefore cannot make any further comment on them.

It would be recalled that the Federal High Court, Lagos, presided over by Honourable Justice Archibong had on July 25, 2011 entered judgment against the Nigerian Copyright Commission in favour of MCSN in which it ordered that the NCC should pay damages in the sum of N40 Million to MCSN.