The Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex in Lagos has apprehended members of a syndicate accused of widespread movie piracy, copyright violations, and cybercrimes affecting Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
Aminat Mayegun, spokesperson for the FCID, confirmed the arrest during a media briefing on Wednesday.
She explained that the operation followed a formal complaint from FilmOne Entertainment Ltd., alleging that ‘Owambe Thieves’ was unlawfully uploaded to TikTok on August 23.
Based on the report, the key suspect was said to have charged viewers N1,000 to access a pirated full version of the movie.
Mayegun said, “The company reported that its film ‘Owambe Thieves’ had been unlawfully uploaded on TikTok on Aug. 23. The suspect behind the upload allegedly charged viewers N1,000 for access to a pirated copy of the full movie,” noting that screenshots, payment proofs, and ownership documents were provided as evidence.
She added that the suspect confessed to extracting clips for TikTok engagement and sending the full movie through WhatsApp for a fee, admitting to selling copies to more than 50 buyers and pirating additional films such as ‘Farmer’s Bride’, ‘Thinline’, and ‘Alakada: Bad and Boujee’.
The FCID later discovered substantial incriminating material on two recovered phones — an iPhone 15 Pro and an iPhone SE — containing several pirated films and lists of individuals who acquired them through WhatsApp and Telegram channels.