The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has again intensified the fight against piracy with the confiscation of pirated textbooks worth millions of naira at Omoku main market in Ogba/Egbeme Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The raid, which was carried out on Thursday, 17 September, by a team of NCC personnel and officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, led to the arrest of two suspects.
The Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC, Dr. John Asein, emphasized that there must be zero tolerance for piracy of all forms in Nigeria, stressing that the commission will execute its mandate according to the Copyright Act.
Dr Asein, represented by the Director, Nigerian Copyright Commission, Port Harcourt Office, Mr. Abdulsalam Babatunde, warned that no individuals, schools, and book sellers are allowed to patronize pirated books while urging them to purchase from authorized authorities.
“We want to use this opportunity again to inform the general public, the users of literary works, schools, tertiary institutions, and all those whose works are covered by the Copyright Act, to make sure they patronize the authorized authors. They should not in any way indulge in the issue of piracy.
“Anybody found replicating or selling pirated books will be dealt with according to the Nigerian Copyright Act, and that is what the law says,” he said.
The Director, Mr Babatunde, equally used the opportunity to warn those selling pirated materials in Rivers State and its neighboring states to desist from indulging in the act, as the law will soon catch up with them.
A publisher, Mr. Friday IJere, who decried how pirates have continued to make unscrupulous gains from the works of the original owners stressed the need for sensitisation campaigns to enlighten booksellers and schools to desist from patronising pirates.
“Piracy is like a cankerworm. It’s actually eating deep into the purse of the publishers. Not only Learn Africa, other publishing firms. Because these people, they buy these pirated books, sell it, and deprive the publishing firm of its profit and even the writers. So, it’s not really a good business for the publishers. Its really affecting the publishing industry,” he said.
The suspects claimed that they were not aware their purchased books were pirated copies, noting that the arrest was an eye-opener.
We don’t know. Because when we buy, we buy it as original. Even if you bring another copy that is not clean, we will not buy. But we didn’t know that it is like that. But that is why we are here. From now on, it is an eye-opener for us,” they pleaded.
They promised to desist from the act and always purchase from authorised authorities henceforth.
