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ACTRESS and filmmaker, Toyin Abraham, has cried out to the Nigerian Police over the piracy of her cinematic effort, Malaika.
The mother of one said this had resulted in her having panic attacks and being hospitalised at various times.
Abraham spoke with newsmen in Lagos as the police announced the arrest of five suspects in relation to the pirated movie ‘Malaika,’ which, according to the actress, gulped N500 million in production.
Abraham, who said she has taken up the fight against pirates, commended the police, and especially AIG IG Idowu Owohunwa, for matching their words with action by arresting the suspects.
Earlier, the Federal Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos, said it had arrested five suspects, including two women, over the alleged piracy of the movie.
The spokesperson for the department, ASP Aminat Mayegun, paraded the suspects before newsmen at the FCID, Alagbon, Lagos.
Mayegun said that the suspects were allegedly involved in conspiracy, infringement on intellectual property, piracy and cyber-related crimes concerning the unlawful use of cyberspace to broadcast the movie.
She said on Thursday, a criminal complaint was lodged by Abraham and Seun Olayemi, co-producers of the ‘Malaika.’
The petitioners alleged that some elements had criminally pirated their latest movie, which was originally released for cinema viewing only on December 21, 2023.
According to her, the complainants alleged that their movie was unlawfully and fraudulently accessed, uploaded on a website and a streaming web link created for social media followers worldwide to freely view the movie.
