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“Court Bars MCSN From Accessing Copyright Levy, Orders CBN and 20 Banks To Freeze Accounts”.

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A Federal High Court in Lagos has issued an interim Mareva injunction freezing copyright levy funds payable to the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN), restraining the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and 20 commercial banks from disbursing or releasing the funds pending further hearing.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The banks named in the order include Access Bank, Citi Bank Nigeria, Fidelity Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, First City Monument Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Heritage Bank, Keystone Bank, Skye Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Sterling Bank, Union Bank of Nigeria, United Bank for Africa, Unity Bank, Wema Bank, Zenith Bank, Ecobank Nigeria, SunTrust Bank, and Enterprise Bank.

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa granted the order in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/207/2026 following an ex parte application filed on February 5, 2026, by the Record Label Proprietors’ Initiative and 11 leading record labels and music companies.

The plaintiffs include Mavin Records Ltd, Davido Music Worldwide Ltd, Premier Music Publishing Ltd, Chocolate City Music Ltd, Hypertek Digital Ltd, Digital Music Commerce & Exchange Ltd (DMCE), Beggars Group Media Ltd, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment Africa, Warner Music South Africa (Pty) Ltd, and Gamma Media Middle East DMCC. The 2nd to 12th plaintiffs are represented through their attorney, Record Label Proprietors’ Initiative.

In the ex parte motion, filed and argued by Oragwu Nnamdi, the plaintiffs sought an order restraining the CBN from disbursing, releasing, transferring, or paying any copyright levy funds intended for MCSN pending the hearing of a Motion on Notice.

They also requested that MCSN, along with its agents and affiliates, be barred from receiving, accessing, withdrawing, transferring, or otherwise dealing with any copyright levy funds, whether paid directly by the CBN or through commercial banks.

Additionally, the plaintiffs asked the court to direct the CBN and affected banks to preserve all funds and file affidavits of compliance within three days, disclosing the sums credited to MCSN in respect of levy payments.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa granted the application, restraining the CBN, its officers, agents, or anyone acting under its authority from disbursing any copyright levy funds payable to MCSN pending the Motion on Notice. The court also barred MCSN from accessing, using, transferring, or dealing with the funds, whether already received or yet to be disbursed.

The judge further directed that any funds already received by MCSN and attributable to sound recordings of the 2nd to 12th plaintiffs—who had opted out of collective management—must be preserved. MCSN was ordered to render an account of such funds and refrain from any further dealings with them until the Motion on Notice is heard.

Counsel to the plaintiffs, Oragwu Nnamdi, moved the ex parte motion. After considering submissions, the court granted the orders and adjourned the matter to March 12, 2026, for the hearing of the Motion on Notice.

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Police Arrest NSCDC Officer With Pistol, 17 Bullets At Abuja Kubwa Market.

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An officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has been arrested for allegedly firing gunshots into the air during a confrontation with traders at Kubwa Market in Abuja.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The officer, identified as Onoja Samuel, reportedly arrived at the market armed with a pistol following allegations that some traders had assaulted his wife.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Mohammed Sanusi, disclosed the incident while addressing journalists at the command on Wednesday, Naija News reports.

Sanusi said the police received a distress call from Kubwa Market, located in the Bwari Area Council, reporting that a man was shooting into the air.

Following the report, officers attached to the Kubwa Police Division were deployed to the scene, where they arrested the suspect.

According to the police commissioner, preliminary investigations revealed that Samuel holds the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Corps (DSC) in the NSCDC.

He explained that the officer allegedly fired several shots during an argument with the traders.

“During the ensuing argument with the traders, Onoja Samuel, who is a DSC with the NSCDC, fired several shots into the air,” Sanusi said.

The police recovered a CZ pistol and 17 rounds of live 9mm ammunition from the suspect.

Sanusi added that Samuel remained in police custody and would be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.

The commissioner also urged personnel of other security agencies operating in the FCT to exercise restraint and notify the police divisions responsible for their areas before conducting authorised operations.

He stressed that effective coordination among security agencies was essential to preventing confrontations and maintaining peace across the territory.

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‘We Don’t Want Another Mohbad Case’ – Laolu Gbenjo Speaks On Toluwanisings.

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Nigerian gospel singer Laolu Gbenjo has cautioned the public against spreading unverified information about the circumstances surrounding the death of his colleague, Bayonile Bolaji, popularly known as Toluwanisings.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Gbenjo’s warning comes amid growing controversy surrounding the late singer’s death and burial arrangements, with reports of disagreements among members of his family.

The gospel singer spoke on Tuesday during a night of tributes held in honour of Toluwanisings in Ibadan, Oyo State. He warned against allowing the situation to degenerate into a controversy similar to the one that followed the death of Nigerian singer Mohbad.

Describing the deceased as a devoted Christian and a genuine servant of God, Gbenjo said Toluwanisings was passionate about his faith and had a good relationship with people.

He urged the public to stop fuelling unnecessary controversy over the late singer’s death, particularly through social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.

“You can never see Toluwani in the midst of jobless people. He had a good heart. He was a friend to everybody. He served the Lord with all his heart. Don’t turn Toluwani into Mohbad. That madness on TikTok and Instagram must stop. If you are jobless, go and look for a job,” Gbenjo said.

Meanwhile, comedians Ayobami Ajewole, popularly known as Woli Agba, and Olamide Oladimeji, also known as Dele Omo Woli, have threatened legal action against individuals allegedly linking them to Toluwanisings’ death.

Woli Agba disclosed this in a public notice shared on his Instagram page on Sunday.

In the notice issued by their solicitors, Gemgold, the comedians warned members of the public against publishing or circulating allegations they described as false and defamatory against them.

The legal notice maintained that the allegations were baseless and intended to damage the reputations of the two entertainers.

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El-Rufai’s ₦1bn Legal Battle Takes New Turn As Court Fixes Judgment Date.

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The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed December 2, 2026, for judgment in the ₦1 billion fundamental rights suit filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other respondents.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik set the date after lawyers representing the parties adopted their respective court processes.

However, El-Rufai’s lawyer was absent when the case was initially called. The judge subsequently deemed the former governor’s filed processes adopted.

Counsel to the ICPC, Abdul Mohammed (SAN), adopted the commission’s court processes and urged the judge to dismiss the suit in its entirety.

Similarly, the lawyer representing the Inspector-General of Police, ACP Ezekiel Rimamsomte, and Maimuna Lami-Shiru, Director of Civil Litigation and Public Law, who appeared on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), adopted their respective processes and asked the court to dismiss the case.

During the proceedings, El-Rufai’s lawyer, Ubong Akpan, arrived in court and apologised for his lateness.

When Akpan sought the court’s permission to adopt his client’s processes, Justice Abdulmalik informed him that the documents had already been deemed adopted.

The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until December 2, 2026, when judgment is expected to be delivered.

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