… We’ll prosecute perpetrators, accomplices — DG
Barth Ndubuwah, Port Harcourt
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has Friday conducted journalists round the three containers seized by the Commission in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at Onne Port,Area 2, containing about 3,000 cartons of pirated books, estimated over N100m at market value.
Addressing the Press and other stakeholders in the book industry in Port Harcourt, the Director General (DG) of NCC, Dr John Asein said henceforth the Commission will not hesitate “to seal premises, go after the proceeds of crimes and deal with the suspected materials summarily,” courtesy of the stronger Copyright Statute with stiffer penalties for criminal infringement.
The DG added that “the Commission will hold anyone found with copies of pirated books accountable and presumed to be complicit in crime of piracy either as primary or secondary suspects.”
He said the renewed commitment to tackle piracy in all sectors complements government’s high level policy intervention to turn around the economy and grow the country’s creative industry. This,the DG said is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu led Federal Government of Nigeria.
He thanked the Nigeria Customs Service, the Department of State Services (DSS) and other stakeholders whose cooperation he said has made the seizures possible.
Dr Asein assured that henceforth NCC will be stepping up its enforcement drive to decimate copyright piracy in Nigeria until it is reduced to a single digit number.
“With the support of partnering agencies and the cooperation of rights owners ,this is a task that must be accomplished. I invite landlords, transporters, warehouse owners, school proprietors,market authorities and the general public to report any suspicious activities in the book chain to the Nigerian Copyright Commission or any of the partnering agencies,” the DG said.
Also speaking, the Area Comptroller of Customs, Onne Port, Babani Imam, who spoke through, CC Epundu said there is every need for Federal Government Agencies to collaborate, noting that Customs Area 2 Onne has been intercepting drugs, arms and other contraband products and handed them over to the appropriate agency handling such issue. He appealed for the sustenance of the inter-agency partnership.
On his part, the President of Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA), Chief Uche Anoke, who was represented by his Vice and CEO of Africans First Publishers Plc, Austin Onwubiko lauded NCC for the excellent job they have been doing in combating piracy. He pointed out that the fight no doubt will allow the patent right owners to enjoy the fruit of their labour. He urged NCC to sustain their collaborative activities with other agencies, for optimal results.
He lamented that Publishers struggle to produce books, but pirates would not allow them to reap from their sweat.
He called on the Federal Government to liaise with the Chinese Embassy to stop the unholy trade from that country.