The Lagos State Police have apprehended five individuals in connection with the alleged piracy of actress Toyin Abraham’s recent film, “Malaika.” The suspects were presented to the media by Aminat Mayegun, the spokesperson for the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, Ikoyi, on Tuesday.
The investigation was initiated following a criminal complaint lodged by Toyin Abraham and Seun Olayemi, the co-producers of “Malaika,” on Thursday. The petitioners asserted that their film, initially slated for cinema release on December 21, 2023, had been unlawfully pirated. They claimed that the movie was illicitly accessed, uploaded to a website, and a streaming link was created for global social media followers to watch the film freely.
Mayegun explained that the complainants contended that the suspects had violated their intellectual property rights, causing financial losses by denying them rightful profits while unlawfully benefiting from the film.
In response to the petition, a joint investigation was launched, involving the Special Investigation Units of the Anti-Fraud and Cybercrime Sections of the Department. The police utilized the unique intelligence and cybercrime assets at their disposal. The subsequent coordinated actions and further investigations led to the apprehension of the suspects.
