AS part of a renewed move at enlightening the public on Copyright, it’s economic potentials and ills of copyright piracy, the Lagos Directorate of the Commission took it’s sensitisation campaign the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp, Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos on 9th July 2024.

The exercise aimed at educating NYSC members posted to Lagos State about Copyright and the many benefits it offers was led by the Director, Lagos Office (DLO), Mrs. Lynda Alphaeus.

Speaking to the Corp Members in a paper titled: Copyright Protection in Nigeria: an Overview, the DLO enlightened the Corpers on the need to respect copyright as well as protect creative works to enable the owners derive rewards from their creative activities.

The Corp Members and Camp officials expressed appreciation to the NCC team on their visit, after which Mr Charles Amudipe, Deputy Director, Operations of the Lagos Office led the team on inspection of the books on display at some book stands inside the camp.

In another development, Operatives of the NCC carried out an anti-piracy raid at the Yaba Book Market to checkmate book piracy in Lagos State. The raid was led by Deputy Director/Head, Operations, Lagos Office, Mr Charles Amudipe on 22nd August 2024.

According to a release from the DLO, Mrs. Lynda Alphaeus, the anti-piracy raid was carried out to restate the Commission’s commitment to fish-out and prosecute pirates.

She noted that the Commission has upscaled its enforcement activities and will deal severely with all copyright infringers, warning pirates and their accomplices in the state to desist from the nefarious activities.
Based on surveillance carried out by Copyright officers, the anti-piracy operation was carried out in five identified bookshops and three stores where suspected pirated books were stored.

Several suspected pirated materials were confiscated during the raid and the bookshop and outlets owners were arrested. The Commission has since begun the process of persecuting the arrested suspects.

Andrew Dyege