The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has seized suspected pirated books worth N50 million during a recent anti-piracy operation in the Yaba area of Lagos State. The operation, led by Charles Amudipe, the Deputy Director of Operations and Head of the Lagos office, targeted the Yaba Book Market, a well-known hub for book sales.
The raid, which involved visits to five bookshops and three warehouses suspected of storing pirated materials, resulted in the confiscation of numerous books and the arrest of several shop owners. Amudipe emphasized that the NCC is intensifying its enforcement activities to combat piracy in the country.
The operation included inspections of warehouses and bookshops, including Chuks, Edu, and Don Mekus, all located in Yaba. Amudipe warned that the commission will not tolerate any form of piracy and that strict measures will be taken against those involved in the illegal trade.
He also highlighted the commission’s awareness that pirated books are being directly sold to schools, cautioning that any school found participating in such activities will be treated as a book pirate. The NCC mandates that all printers, booksellers, and schools dealing in books must maintain proper documentation on the sources of their materials. Failure to comply with the Copyright Act will result in severe penalties. The commission also urged all book sellers to ensure they have proper receipts as evidence of legitimate purchases.
Credit: NAN (Text Excluding Headline)
