...asks FG to amend Copyright Act

Books worth several mil­lions of naira were re­cently confiscated in Ilo­rin, Kwara State by the Nigerian Copyrights Commission, NCC which raided many bookshops in the state capital.

The head of Ilorin Liaison Of­fice of the commission, Mrs. Jus­tina Akinwumi led a team of the commission staff, representa­tives of the Nigerian Publishers' Association, NPA and policemen to carry out the raid.

Pirated books published by Learn Africa Plc (formerly Long­man) were confiscated at, among others First Sunday Sunday Bookshop and Monday Monday Enterprises both in the metropo­lis where large number of pirat­ed books were seen displayed on their shelves.

While speaking, Akinwumi said the books pirated were mov­ing titles of Learn Africa like New Concept Mathematics for Senior Secondary School from 1 to 3.

She told newsmen that the commission acted on a tip-off.

She said although the com­mission had no power to seal up any bookshop or warehouse where pirated books were dis­covered, the commission has the right to confiscate have pi­rated books.

She however noted that the owners of those bookshops were already in their office for interrogation, adding that the commission has zero tolerance for piracy.

A representative of Nigerian Publishers Association, NAP, Alhaji Maruf Ajitoni while speaking lamented that the publishing industry in the country now loses almost 50% of the total turnover of the pub­lishing industry, which runs to several billions of naira.

He said publishing indus­try could not fold its arms and watch pirates wreck havocs at will unchecked pointing out that the jobs of over 100,000 workers in the publishing industry were on the line al­ready if this illegal activities remained unchecked.

Ajitoni appealed to the gov­ernment to empower NCC to seal up bookshops caught selling pirated books and ma­terials and to parents and stu­dents not to patronise pirated books.