By Peter Adedoyin
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) on Thursday confiscated some identified pirated textbooks from some schools in Sagamu area of Ogun State.
During the enforcement against piracy, one suspect was equally arrested.
Some of the schools visited included Remo Secondary School, Sagamu, Lifegate Group of Schools, off Aiyepe Road, Sagamu and Focus International School, Agura, Sagamu.
The enforcement team accompanied by officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, was led by Mrs Oluropo Oke, State Coordinator from Ibadan NCC office.
Oke said, the raid followed intelligence gathered that these schools were allegedly involved in selling of pirated books to students, which is against the rules of Federal Government as captured under Copyright Act of 2022.
She said the current leadership of NCC under Dr John Asein has said that no efforts should be spared to combat the evil of piracy in the country.
Oke said "today's exercise was to demonstrate another strong commitment of NCC in fighting piracy to standstill in the country. Today, we have taken the war and enforcement against piracy to schools that are selling pirated books to their students".
"And we are not just coming out today, we have done our surveillance and investigation, so we have our intelligence reports that these schools are involved in terrible act that is making original owners of these textbooks not to reap where they have sowed".
''We all must join hands together to fight this theft of intellectual properties of the people. So, for the schools visited, we made some seizure. We have equally left behind letters of invitation to our office at Ibadan, Oyo State".
Oke said that the NCC has always been engaging stakeholders in the education sector while also using the media to sensitise the people on the danger of buying pirated books.
The NCC State Coordinator said that many people claiming ignorant about the pirated books found in their custody were only being economical with the truth because they will deliberately go for the pirated copies because they are cheaper to the original copies.
Oke said that in order not to run foul of the copyright laws, the schools and books sellers must always endeavour to patronise the publishers of these books while also keeping receipts of such business transactions to serve as evidence during enforcement raid.
She urged Ogun State government to brace up for the campaign against use of pirated books across the state, saying that the information at the agency's disposal pointed to the fact that a lot of schools in the state are allegedly engaged in piracy activities.
Oke said, "I must once again use this medium to appeal to the general populace to desist from buying pirated books or encouraging piracy in whatever capacity. Piracy is evil, it is killing our economy, it encourages production of substandard goods and it attracts five years jail term once a case is established against you".
"Additionally, you will also be liable to paying N10,000 for each pirated copy found with you while the premises being used for this illegal acts will be sealed off, the penalties are as tough like I have enumerated".
The suspect arrested who simply identified himself as Akinyemi said that he was never aware that the books were pirated copies.
Akinyemi said, "I don't know that these books are pirated copies, the suppliers always send them to me from Lagos State while I supply the school. If I am aware I wouldn't be caught doing that. I was just innocently doing my business".
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