The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has issued a stern warning to booksellers, schools, printers, and anyone involved with copyright materials that any form of piracy will not be tolerated.
In a recent operation in the Yaba area of Lagos State, the NCC seized an estimated ₦50 million worth of suspected pirated books. Leading the operation was Charles Amudipe, the Deputy Director of Operations and Head of Operations in the Lagos office. The anti-piracy action took place at the Yaba Book Market, where five bookshops and three warehouses believed to be storing pirated books were inspected.
During the operation, materials suspected to be pirated were confiscated, and the owners of the bookshops were taken into custody. Specific locations visited included the warehouse (parking stores), as well as Chuks, Edu, and Don Mekus bookshops within Yaba.
Amudipe emphasized that this anti-piracy raid aims to demonstrate the commission’s intensified efforts in enforcing copyright laws. He reiterated that booksellers, schools, printers, and everyone dealing with copyright materials must adhere to the law, and piracy will not be tolerated in any form.
He also highlighted that some pirated books are being sold directly to schools. Any school caught facilitating the sale of pirated books will be treated as a violator.
The commission has mandated that all printers, booksellers, and schools must keep proper documentation of the sources of the books they deal with. Printers failing to maintain adequate records as required by the copyright act will face strict penalties. Additionally, all booksellers must have valid receipts to confirm that their purchases came from legitimate sources.
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