The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has vowed not to relent in its efforts against copyright piracy across the country.
The Director-General of NCC, Dr John Asein, stated this while addressing newsmen in Abeokuta on Tuesday after visiting heads of security agencies in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that officials of the NCC were recently resisted from performing their anti piracy operations by some suspected thugs at Sabo Market, in Sagamu.
The director-general warned that any form of resistance from pirates would be met with force.
The NCC boss said that the operation was duly authorised based on complaints and reports from publishers and authors.
He explained that his visit was to commend the gallant officers for their courage and to show solidarity with them after the encounter at the Sabo Market.
“We will not relent in this campaign against copyright pirates in whatever form ,online or offline. Every pushback from pirates or their collaborators will be visited with as much force as it deserves.
“We will fish out the culprits involved in the Sagamu incident and ensure that justice is served,” he said.
Asein emphasised that the efforts of the commission and its partners extended beyond enforcement, noting that they directly impact Nigeria’s creative industry, including authors, musicians, filmmakers, and other intellectual property holders.
He appealed to the public to desist from patronising pirated works, stressing that the act undermines creativity and discourages innovation.
The Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in Ogun, Remilekun Ekundayo, reaffirmed the Corps’ readiness to partner with the NCC to rid the market of piracy and other intellectual property crimes.
“We are fully committed to working with the copyright commission to arrest and prosecute those involved in piracy.
“It is unfair that after someone has worked hard to produce educational materials, others reproduce and sell them illegally.
“We will continue to make arrests and ensure offenders face the law,” Ekundayo said.
Also speaking during the visit by the commission, Commissioner of Police in Ogun, Olanrewaju Ogunlowo, expressed the command’s willingness to collaborate with the NCC to ensure that intellectual property laws were fully enforced.
“We will not support any illegality. Once the commission identifies those responsible for attacking its team, we will go after them,” he said.
The NCC delegation also visited the Department of State Services (DSS) as part of efforts to deepen collaboration with security agencies in protecting Nigeria’s creative and intellectual property sector.
