The Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) has taken a transport company based in Benin City, the Edo State capital, to court.
COSON, in a suit filed on June 30, 2015, is seeking the sum of N500 million as compensation from Big Joe Ventures Ltd and its Managing Director, Joseph Osayende, for infringing on the intellectual material of its members without authorisation.
The body said it took the matter to court in line with its recent promise to address the copyright infringement of musical works and sound recordings in the transport industry across Nigeria with its copyright enforcement initiative, ‘Operation No Hiding Place’.
In the suit No FHC/B/CS/153/15 filed at the Federal High Court, Benin City, COSON accused the transport outfit of copying, communicating to the public and permitting to be performed in the commercial buses and bus stations owned or operated by Big Joe Motors, the various musical works and sound recordings belonging to the members, assignees and affiliates of COSON without its authority or permission.
COSON claimed this is an infringement of the rights of the Plaintiff as guaranteed by the Copyright Act (Cap 28, LFN 2004).

The body then asked the court for the award of 500 Million Naira in unpaid royalties and damages against Big Joe Ventures Ltd and Osayende for the unauthorized copying, communication to the public, permission to perform in public and infringement of the copyright in the musical works and sound recordings belonging to the members, affiliates and assignors of the Plaintiff.

It is also requesting a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, privies or servants from the unauthorized copying, communication to the public, permission to perform and infringement of the copyright in the musical works and sound recordings belonging to its members, affiliates and assignors.