…Cries out over disregard of court order, calls on EFCC to return seized property
- +We are not pirating EPL matches or other contents, says Metro digital manager
Contrary to widespread insinuations, local cable operators are not pirating English football matches or other top contents that many think belong to Multichoice exclusively.
Contrary to widespread insinuations, local cable operators are not pirating English football matches or other top contents that many think belong to Multichoice exclusively.
This declaration was made Monday, May 11, 2026, at Metro Headquarters in Port Harcourt when Paul Osuji, its operating manager, who addressed the press over what management called raid of its premises on October 16, 2025 by the Nigerian anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Osuji was reacting to media questions over the authenticity of the source of their EPL matches which attract the highest viewership.
The manager said their source was legitimate, saying that the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) Code gave retail cable stations the right to collect feeds which is open. Multichoice, now owned by Canal of France, owns the right but is mandated by regulation to give access to retail operators.
He said all that was required was for the main source to send their account details for payment of amounts as stipulated by regulation.
He said various court verdicts have been issued in the cases in court against Multichoice but that they were not obeyed, forcing the NBC to issue a binding directive asking Multichoice to make the requested channels available to Metrodigital based on the pricing formula stipulated in the code. Osuji thus made it clear that they were not pirating the EPL matches nor other contents.
On the raid, he said it was instigated by then Multichoice Nigeria Ltd, purportedly acting on the preservation order made by the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt over sub licensing of broadcasting content rights, what he called a civil dispute already adjudicated by the Court of Appeal in Appeal No.CA/PH/CS/188/2021 – Multichoice Nig Ltd. Vs MetroDigital Ltd & 20 ors. which he said was a subject of a pending appeal No: SC/CV/1248/2022 – Multichoice Nig Ltd & 20 ors before the Supreme Court.
During the raid, he said the anti-graft agency carted away properties and records of MetroDigital and arrested its staff member and another staff member of a company operating in the same premises. “Metro digital Ltd took out a suit at the high court of Rivers state with suit number PHC/3943/EHR/2025 against EFCC and Multichoice Nig. Ltd, challenging the interference of EFCC on the instigation of Multichoice Nig Ltd in a purely civil suit over copyright which is pending before the apex court and which in any event does not fall within the powers of EFCC under the establishment Act.”
Instructively, he lamented, while suit No: PHC/3843/FHR/2025 was still pending, Metro Digital Ltd filed an application to set aside the said preservation orders of the Federal high court sitting in Port Harcourt, presided over by A. T Mohammed. “In his ruling delivered on December 10 2025, the judge set aside the preservation orders and its illegal execution on Metro Digital Ltd. The court also ordered EFCC to return unconditionally all the properties and records of Metro Digital Ltd, illegally and unlawfully carted away during the raid but the agency has till date not obeyed those orders of the court.”
He went on: “However, the high court of Rivers state on May 4, 2026 delivered judgment in suit No: PHC/3943/FHR/2025 and the presiding judge found the arrests and carting away and disruption of its broadcasting business by the EFCC over civil dispute to be unlawful and a violation of the applicants’ rights.”
He said the court also granted a perpetual injunction, restraining EFCC and Multichoice Nig Ltd and indeed any other security agency, including the police and DSS from arresting, harassing and interfering with the broadcasting business of Metro Digital Ltd.
“The court slammed EFCC and Multichoice Nig Ltd with N10m damages in Favour of Metro Digital Ltd.
“Metro Digital is delighted with the Federal government in its effort to restore sanity and a level playing field in the Nigerian broadcasting industry through the National Broadcasting Code 6th edition as amended, to fight monopoly and other unfair practices.
“Regrettably, Multichoice finds it convenient to disobey court orders, engage in unethical business practices such as entrenching monopoly and engage in exclusive acquisition of content rights.”
He said the judgment was a victory for the teeming multitude of the Nigerian population who have for a long time remained victims of unhealthy monopoly in the broadcasting industry by the former South African pay Tv company.
“We hope that the new owners will shun monopoly and unfair market practices and embrace healthy competition which drives economic growth.”
Cable operators are indicated as professionals and companies that install, maintain, and manage video distribution networks, such as coaxial cables and broadband amplifiers, to deliver TV and internet services to subscribers.
In Nigeria, major pay-TV providers include DStv, GOtv, and StarTimes. These providers operate as Multiple System Operators (MSOs), providing entertainment and broadband to homes and businesses.
