The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) says it has arrested three suspects and confiscated 1,600 pirated books valued at N2 million while carrying out anti-piracy operations in Abuja.
Its Director of Nigerian Copyright Academy, Mr Mike Akpan, who made this known on Wednesday at a news conference in Abuja, said that the operations were carried out at Area 1 Shopping Complex in Abuja.
Akpan said that the enforcement was successful following intelligence gathered during the monitoring exercise.
He said that the anti-piracy operations were carried out on Wednesday at about 10.45 a.m. by the commission’s operatives with the security back-up of armed police personnel.
“In the course of the operations, four bookshops operated by Venco Bookshop (1 outlet), Gozie Bookshop (1 outlet) and Kizito Bookshop (3 outlets) were visited.
“Suspected pirated books numbering about 1,600 copies with estimated market value of N2 million only were seized from these outlets, while three suspects were arrested,’’ Akpan said.
He said that the suspects and the suspected pirated materials were immediately conveyed to the commission’s office in Abuja for debriefing.
According to him, the operations were conducted without any hitch.
“The commission has commenced full investigation into the cases with a view to obtaining information for further necessary action,” he said.
Akpan said that any suspect found to be in violation of the law and other persons implicated in the violation would be duly prosecuted.
“The commission uses this opportunity to reiterate its policy of zero tolerance for piracy and other copyright violations.
“We also warn operators of sales outlets for copyright works to always stock genuine products.
“In the last three years, we have renewed our commitment to the fight against piracy.
“No effort will be spared in discovering and apprehending those involved in these heinous crime, irrespective of their status and locations,’’ he said.
According to him, piracy has remained one of the big challenges of the creative industries in Nigeria.
Akpan said: “Books are a prime target of pirates and they have robbed investors in the publishing industry of vital returns on their investment.
“Our educational system suffers the indignity of gradual depletion of resources for learning due to the loss of investment in publishing.’’
The director urged members of the public, especially the proprietors of schools and educational institutions to support the fight against piracy by sharing information about sources of pirated works.
He advised the book sellers to work with the publishers to obtain only genuine copies of their published works.
“We shall also not hesitate to bring to book operators of schools who patronise distributors of pirated books.
“We cannot afford to allow the shores of Nigeria to be used as a haven for piracy which is clearly an economic crime that has the potentials to support other more serious crimes,’’ he said. (NAN)
