The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) recently confiscated pirated books worth an estimated N50 million during an anti-piracy operation in Lagos.
The operation, which took place in the bustling Yaba Book Market, targeted five bookshops and three warehouses suspected of storing pirated materials.
Leading the operation was Mr. Charles Amudipe, the Deputy Director of Operations and Head of the Lagos Office of the NCC.
According to Mr. Amudipe, the raid was part of the NCC’s ongoing efforts to intensify its enforcement activities across the country.
“The anti-piracy raid is to send a signal to the public that the commission has upscaled its enforcement activities,” he said, emphasising the commission’s renewed commitment to combating copyright infringement.
The operation was thorough, with the NCC team meticulously inspecting various locations within the Yaba market. Among the areas visited were Chuks, Edu, and Don Mekus bookshops, all of which are well-known within the local market.
The materials seized during the raid were primarily books suspected of being pirated copies of popular educational and literary works.
In addition to confiscating the suspected pirated books, the NCC also arrested the owners of the bookshops and warehouses involved.
Book piracy is a significant problem in Nigeria, affecting the livelihoods of authors, publishers, and legitimate booksellers. The illegal reproduction and sale of books not only undermine the country’s creative industries but also contribute to the loss of revenue for legitimate businesses and the government.
According to industry experts, the market for pirated books in Nigeria is vast, with counterfeit copies often sold at a fraction of the price of original works.
This illegal trade is particularly prevalent in markets like Yaba, where pirated books are often sold openly alongside legitimate copies.
“The commission warns booksellers, schools, printers, and all those who deal in copyright materials that the commission will not tolerate piracy in any form,” Mr. Amudipe stated. He also highlighted the commission’s awareness of the practice of pushing pirated books directly to schools, a trend that the NCC is determined to halt.
“Any school found aiding the sale of pirated books will be treated as a book pirate,” he added.
