Aminat Mayegun, the FCID spokesperson, confirmed the arrest
in a media briefing in Lagos on Wednesday.

The operation, she said, was launched following a formal
petition from FilmOne Entertainment Ltd., which reported that its new film
‘Owambe Thieves’ had been illegally uploaded to TikTok on August 23.

According to Mayegun, the prime suspect behind the upload
charged viewers N1,000 for access to a pirated full copy of the movie.

“The company reported that its film ‘Owambe Thieves’ had
been unlawfully uploaded on TikTok on Aug. 23,” she said.

“The suspect behind the upload allegedly charged viewers
N1,000 for access to a pirated copy of the full movie. The petition was
accompanied by screenshots, payment records, and documents proving ownership of
the film.

“The suspect admitted to editing scenes for TikTok
engagement and distributing the full pirated film via WhatsApp for a fee.

“In his confession, he revealed that he sold copies to more
than 50 individuals and was involved in the piracy of other Nollywood films,
including ‘Farmer’s Bride’, ‘Thinline’, and ‘Alakada: Bad and Boujee’.”

The FCID spokesperson disclosed that investigators found
extensive evidence on the suspect’s two seized iPhones, including multiple
pirated movie files and lists of recipients who received the films through
WhatsApp and Telegram channels.

“A forensic analysis of two seized devices, an iPhone 15 Pro
and an iPhone SE, uncovered extensive evidence,” she added.