Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) in collaboration with Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA) on Wednesday raided some major bookshops in Ibadan metropolis and seized N8 million worth of pirated books.
The bookshops raided in Ibadan are B&B Bookshop, Forward Bookshop, Mosebolatan Bookshop and Alanu Bookshop.
Addressing newsmen after the exercise, The NCC’s Director of Operations, Mr Obi Ezeilo, said the raid, which would be continuous, was to rid Nigeria of pirated books.
Ezeilo said that the raid on major book stores in Ibadan followed series of intelligence over a period of time on outlets where pirated books were being sold.
“During the raid, we are able to make two arrests, invite some, and seize pirated books worth N8 million.
“The books suspected to be pirated were seized and investigation is ongoing,” Ezeilo said.
The NPA Executive Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Abimbola, said the mission and vision of the association was to promote and protect publishing in Nigeria.
Abimbola said that the raid carried out was part of its efforts at protecting publishing in Nigeria.
“Most of the people that engage in piracy are not our people and not real publishers.
“They don’t invest in the business of publishing, what they do is to take the finished work of geniune publishers and go to the market to reproduce in commercial quantities and sell,” Abimbola said.
The executive secretary called on those engaging in such acts to cease before the arm of the law caught up with them.