Operatives of Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) have arrested three persons in Mpape Old and New Markets in Abuja for selling books suspected to be pirated.

The NCC Director of Operations, Mr. Obi Ezeilo who disclosed this at the NCC Headquarters, Abuja stated that the arrests were made during an antipiracy operation carried out by Copyright Inspectors, backed by officers of the Nigeria Police Force.

The Director gave the names of the arrested book vendors as Mr. Chukwudi Okenwa, Mr. George Chimezie and Alhaji Saidu Abdullahi.

He revealed that two hundred and twenty-one (221) copies, including various titles with an estimated market value of about Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N450,000.00) were confiscated during the antipiracy operation.

Mr. Ezeilo identified some of the impounded books as The Saint, by Tade Adegbindin; Understanding Mathematics, Books 1, 2, and 5; Macmillan Champion, Primary Book 6; King James Version and Revised Standard Version of the Holy Bible, belonging to Bible Society of Nigeria. Others included New Concept Mathematics for Senior Secondary Schools and New Concept English for Senior Secondary Schools, by Learn Africa; When the Past Came Calling, by Imaobong Nsehe; Black Out, by Christian Nwachukwu; and Echoes of My Voice, by Helen Uche Ibezim.

Assuring of the Commission’s continued commitment to sanitising the book industry across the country; the Director indicated that investigation was ongoing towards the prosecution of the arrested suspects.

He enjoined members of the public to support the national antipiracy campaign by reporting suspected pirates in their neighborhoods to the Commission for prompt action.

Vincent A. Oyefeso
Director, Public Affairs
For: Director-General