By Paul Akalonu
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), determined to eradicate piracy and other copyright infractions, has launched an inquiry into incidents of infringement, and individuals found guilty would face prosecution.
In keeping with the commission’s efforts to combat the problem, NCC Director-General Dr. John Asein stated that suspected pirated books worth over N2 million were recovered from the searched stores.
He urged operators of copyright sales outlets to stock genuine products, stating that four suspected bookshops were raided during the operation, which was led by the Director of NCA, Mr. Akpan, and Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Vincent A. Oyefeso, along with a team of copyright inspectors and armed policemen.
Meanwhile, as part of its efforts to combat the problem in Lagos, the commission has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA) and the three major booksellers associations: the Booksellers Association of Ajegunle, Lagos State (BAALS), the Integrity Booksellers Association of Nigeria, and the Booksellers Association of Yaba.
The ceremony, which took place in Ajegunle, also marked the start of the organization’s monitoring and documenting program.
