The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has seized pirated literary works worth an estimated N7 million during a raid on a suspected piracy outlet at the popular Garki Market in Abuja.
The commission also sealed the premises where the suspected pirated publications were allegedly stored and distributed.
The NCC Director of Public Affairs, Ijeoma Egbunike, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
According to the commission, its Director of Operations, Femi Ajala, led the enforcement team during the operation, which was conducted with the support of armed police officers from the Federal Capital Territory Command.
Ajala said the raid follows credible intelligence indicating that pirated books were being stored and distributed from the location.
“Acting on credible intelligence regarding the suspected storage and distribution of pirated books, we were able to move into the location.
“We discovered a substantial quantity of books suspected to have been reproduced and distributed without the authorisation of the respective copyright owners,” he said.
He said the enforcement team gained access to the store, seized and evacuated several cartons and bags containing suspected infringing publications before sealing the premises.
Ajala described the operation as part of the commission’s intelligence-driven strategy to disrupt copyright piracy and protect the interests of authors, publishers and other copyright owners.
He said piracy remained a major threat to Nigeria’s creative and publishing industries, noting that the illicit trade deprives legitimate rights owners of income and discourages investment in creative works.
“The operation was intelligence-driven. We received information about the location and acted on that intelligence.
“The volume of books recovered, which is worth N7 million, shows the seriousness of the situation and the need for sustained enforcement,” he said.
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Ajala said the commission would continue to investigate and prosecute persons involved in the illegal reproduction, distribution and commercial exploitation of copyrighted works.
He added that further investigation would determine the ownership and source of the seized publications, as well as identify members of the distribution network.
According to him, those found responsible would face the full weight of the law.
He warned individuals and businesses involved in the commercial exploitation of copyrighted materials without authorisation that the commission would intensify its enforcement operations against them.
Ajala also urged members of the public, publishers, copyright owners and other stakeholders to provide information that could help the commission identify and dismantle piracy networks.
Among the publications seized were Purple Hibiscus, The Magic of Thinking Big, New General Mathematics for Senior and Junior Secondary Schools 1, 2 and 3, Stan Basic Science and Technology for Primary School, Workbook 3 and Lantern Steps to Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning 3.
Others included Classic Basic Technology for Junior Secondary Schools 3, Active Basic Science and Technology for Junior Secondary Schools and Workbook 2, Queen Primer, Royal School Series Part 1 and WABP Physical and Health Education for Primary Schools 1 and 4.
The commission also listed Learn Mathematics 5, New School Physics for Senior Secondary Schools, MacMillan Champion Primary Mathematics 3 and 4, Tonad and Essential Commerce for Senior Secondary Schools among the recovered materials.
The NCC said the operation underscored the need for sustained action against book piracy to protect authors, publishers, researchers, educators and Nigeria’s wider creative economy.
