Lawyer Writes Buhari, Malami, Demands N18bn for Copyright Infringement

Wale Igbintade

A law firm of Rotimi Akomolafe & Co has accused the federal government of copyright infringements of the health care premium generating strategy, developed by a Nigerian youth, Rotimi Olayiwola Inyang.

In a letter dated June 27, 2022, written to President Muhammed Buhari, signed by M.O Abass titled ‘Unlawful Infringement of Copyright to The Tune of N20 trillion’, the firm accused the federal government of brazen infringement without authorisation.

Copies of the letter were sent to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the Director Regulatory Department, Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC).

The letter reads, “Based on the advertisement and nationwide broadcast of the Vice President on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria particularly via the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) broadcast of  March 6, 2019, to the effect that the federal government welcomes ideas capable of generating more fund towards health care premium generating strategy towards the unconditional enjoyment of good health care delivery by all citizens in Nigeria to minimise the mortality rate in Nigeria estimated at  two million people’s premature death per year in Nigeria.

“Pursuant to the above said presidential broadcast, our clients swung into action and came up with a lucid elegant, and thought-provoking write-up titled, “Compendium of Insurance Initiative which its contents involve but are not limited to “the convenient Health care premium generating strategy towards the unconditional enjoyment of good Health Care Delivery by all Nigeria citizens in Nigeria.

“Further to authenticate his authorship of the works, our Client submitted his works to Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC). Consequently, on the 11% day of June 2019, the Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC) issued him a copyright Registration Certificate, in honour of his copyright transfer of 14th May 2019 with Registration Number LW4363.

“It might interest your Excellency that the compendium in question runs up to V (five) volumes; and to the amazement and utter chagrin of our client, Your Excellency, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces has without authorisation has brazenly infringed on volume III of the said copyrighted works, and in fact, used same.”

Also, in a personal petition written by the Inyang, he stated that he is not a lazy Nigerian youth, but he is being defrauded, frustrated and ruined in no small amount by the Nigerian government.