NCC raids bookshops, seizes alleged pirated books worth N23million

The Nigerian Copyright Commission on Saturday raided several bookshops in Uyo allegedly selling pirated books and seized books worth N23.1 million.

Some of the outlets raided were AB Achison Bookshop, God’s Own Bookshop, Academic Needs Bookshop, Zion Bookshop, all in the Uyo metropolis and POP Bookshop at Abak in Akwa Ibom.

Speaking during the operation, the Director General of NCC, John Asein, said the exercise was part of the ongoing anti-piracy operation in the country.

He said it was the commission’s effort to curtail piracy activities in Uyo and its environs.

Mr Asein was represented by the Deputy Director of Operations, Macfoy Akachukwu, who led the operation.

He disclosed that the mission was to rid the nation of pirated works and instill a sound copyright regime in the nation.

He listed the books seized during the raid to include: Basic Civic Education by Merry Ukaegbu, Spectrum; New Further Mathematics by T.R. Moses; and Essential Christian Religious Study for Senior Secondary Schools by Orovwuje B.O and Okolie E.U.

Other books are: Macmillan Brilliant English for Junior Secondary Schools by Wale Ossianwo and New General Basic Science for Junior Secondary Schools by S. Ajayi and others.

The DG said other books seized included Ayo Banjo’s New Oxford Secondary English Course for Secondary Schools and H.N. Odogwu’s New Concept Mathematics for Senior Secondary Schools.

He stated that the books seized were those in the stables of major publishers, such as Evans, UPL, Lantern, Longman, TONAD, and Pearson.

“What we have done is part of the commission’s mandate to protect and promote the rights of authors and other genuine investors in the copyright book industry.

“It is our duty to ensure that authors get rewards for their creative work. I have, under my watch, zero tolerance for piracy and infringement of Copyright Laws,” Mr Asein said.

He added that the commission would continue its war against piracy to enable the authors and the creative industry to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the nation’s economy.

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The director general further said that the suspects would be charged to court to serve as a deterrent to others.

Mr Asein stated that the commission would not do it alone.

He, therefore, appealed to the public to support the commission with credible information that would assist in its fight against piracy.

(NAN)