The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has arrested three piracy suspects engaged in street hawking of copyright-protected works at the Eagle Square, Abuja.
Those arrested in an antipiracy operation were Abubakar Abdullahi, Emmanuel Onyebuchi and Odushola Arowolo.
Vincent Oyefeso,
Director, Public Affairs Department of NCC explained that the arrest is part of intensified efforts at checking street trading of pirated books, musical works and movies in Abuja FCT and other parts of the country.
He added that the suspected pirated works estimated at two hundred and fifty thousand Naira (N250,000) were also impounded. Infringing items seized during the operation included copies of various titles of foreign and local authors suspected to be pirated.
The enforcement operation was a follow-up to the recent collaboration between the NCC and the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), and was carried out by a team of Copyright Inspectors and officers of Nigeria Police.
“The Commission has reiterated its commitment to rid the streets, starting with the FCT, of pirated books and other copyright-protected works.
“The Commission indicates that the street raid on vendors of books, music works and movies in Abuja signaled the commencement of a lineup of enforcement interventions at the FCT and other states on a sustainable basis” Oyefeso said.
The Commission’s Director of Operations, Mr. Obi Ezeilo, said the enforcement drive would be sustained until street trading in copyright works was stamped out.
The arrested suspects who were interrogated at the Commission’s Headquarters has been granted administrative bail while investigation continues.
33910cookie-checkNCC Intensifies Campaign Against Piracy,Arrests 3
