The Nigerian Copyright Commission in its intensified effort against piracy seized pirated items worth N275 million in January.
Afam Ezekude, the Director-General of the commission, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria on its enforcement operations.
Ezekude said: “The commission’s persistent fight against the importation of pirated works into the country has paid off with the seizure of three containers of pirated goods worth N275 million.
“The items include a container carrying CDs and DVDs of various Nigerian and foreign musical and film works, seized at Five Star Logistics Terminal of the Tin Can Island Port.
“A container stacked with Bibles was also seized at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos.
“The third one is a container carrying books of different titles and authors seized at the AP Moller Terminal at Apapa Port.”
Ezekude noted that the fit was to further reaffirm the commission’s zero tolerance against piracy in all its forms.
He added that for right owners to reap the reward for their efforts, pirated products must be prevented from entering the Nigerian market.
He said: “If these goods were allowed to enter the Nigerian market, copyright owners will be losing that value to pirates.
“The seizure will serve as a deterrent to pirates that the era of indulging in such business is over in the country.”
Ezekude stressed that the seizures were made possible because of fruitful collaborations between the commission and other government Agencies, especially the Nigeria Customs Service.
He noted that officers and men of the NCS at the Tin Can Island and Apapa Port Command of the Service played critical roles in facilitating seizures of the imported pirated items.
Ezekude however urged copyright owners and other stakeholders to deepen their collaboration with the commission.
He added that such collaboration was needed by the commission for effective intelligence gathering, investigation and prosecution of copyright offenders, in its fight against piracy.
He said: “This will ensure that all creators and genuine investors earn substantial income from their creativity and investment.”
The Nigerian movie and film industry, popularly known as Nollywood and the world’s second largest film industry loses more than two billion U.S dollars to piracy every year according to reports.
NAN.
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