Anton Piller Orders in Nigeria

Abstract

In this article I shall examine the principles that guide Nigerian courts in granting Anton Piller orders in the wake of the Court of Appeal decision in Akumci Industries Ltd v Aynmn Enterprises Limited.' This decision is significant because it is one given so far by an appellate court in Nigeria on the issue. An Anton Piller order has been described as: ... an injunctive remedy which is obtainable ex parte to facilitate the inspection of the premises of a suspected copyright infringer and the seizure of infringing copies or such relevant materials and documents which are vital to the prosecution of the plaintiff's case, but which could be destroyed by the defendant, if he had prior notice of litigation against him.