The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) on Tuesday conducted a raid on sellers of pirated books in Ondo State and arrested seven suspects.
By Tayo Ikujuni/Ayodeji Alabi
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) on Tuesday conducted a raid on sellers of pirated books in Ondo State and arrested seven suspects.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the enforcement team was led by Mr Femi Ajala, Head of Operations, NCC, Abuja.
The team, accompanied by officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), also sealed five bookshops located on Oke-Otunba Street, Ondo City, Ondo West Local Government Area of the state.
They also sealed four shops at Oba Adesida Road in Akure North Local Government Area.
The affected outlets include Omega Bookshops, General Merchants Stationery and Publishers, Ejisco Bookshops, D.F.S Central Bookshops and Great Mandela Bookshops.
Others are Arowolo Book Plaza, Noble Bookshop, and Dim’s New Era Bookshop and Stationery.
Ajala said that the actions were part of the commission’s commitment to protecting the rights of authors and publishers.
He explained that large copies of pirated foreign and local books, including Bibles, were confiscated during the operations.
“The anti-piracy operation is aimed at nipping the cankerworm in the bud. We have done our surveillance and found the affected bookshops culpable.
“As part of the NCC’s zero-tolerance stance against piracy in all its forms, we are working closely with the NSCDC officials.
“The commission is poised to ensure total sanity of the creative industry to ensure that right owners enjoy the fruits of their hard labours,” he said.
Ajala also said the raid was part of the nationwide intensified enforcement against pirated works launched by the commission to protect the creative industry.
He said that those arrested would face the wrath of the law in line with the enabling Acts of the commission.
Ajala advised books vendors to ensure that they dealt directly with the right owners.
Also, Mrs Oluropo Oke, State Coordinator, NCC, said it was time the booksellers stopped selling pirated books.
“When they sell pirated books, the profits of the original authors are hindered and they are deprived of their moral and financial benefit for their intellectual work,” she said.
Speaking with newsmen, the booksellers, who preferred anonymity, said they were ignorant that the seized books were pirated.
“It is difficult to tell if the books are original or not because we don’t know the actual location it is being produced. The residents just ask and we buy directly from sellers in Lagos.
“The raid is their statutory responsibility. But we are surprised they came to our store because we have not infringed on the rights.
“Once we call the representative of a particular book, we don’t check. But now, we have to call them to come and check the books seized,” they said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)