NCC destroys ₦141.5m worth of pirated books in Oyo

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) on Tuesday destroyed pirated books valued at ₦141.5 million in Ibadan, Oyo State, following a series of enforcement operations against book piracy.

The exercise was supervised by the NCC Oyo State Coordinator, Mrs. Oluropo Oke, on behalf of the Director-General of the commission, Dr. John Asein.

The pirated materials were seized over the past three years from bookshops and markets in Ibadan, as well as from Abeokuta and Sango-Otta in Ogun State.

Dr. Asein explained that the books were carefully assessed before destruction and valued at ₦141,550,000.

He noted that many of the booksellers involved were unable to verify the sources of the books in their possession.

According to him, original books can be distinguished from pirated copies through factors such as binding quality, colour, paper weight and the point of purchase.

He stressed the need for booksellers to ensure that their stock is sourced directly from publishers or their authorised distributors, rather than from street vendors.

The Director-General warned that the Nigerian Copyright Act empowers the commission to sanction individuals involved in piracy or the illegal trade of intellectual property.

He added that offenders could face penalties including fines, forfeiture of seized materials and other punishments as prescribed by law.

Asein further stated that book piracy continues to undermine national economic growth and deprives authors and publishers of the rewards of their creative efforts.

He clarified that the seized books were shredded rather than burnt to prevent their re-entry into the market and to minimise environmental harm.

“We are committed to ensuring that these pirated books do not find their way back into circulation. Shredding is environmentally friendly and guarantees that the materials are completely destroyed,” he said.

While acknowledging the losses suffered by the affected booksellers, Asein urged them to avoid patronising pirates and instead buy books from original publishers or their authorised representatives.

Also speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA), Mr. Rotimi Iyiola, described the destruction exercise as a positive step towards addressing the menace of book piracy.

He said piracy had severely damaged the publishing industry, affecting not only authors and publishers but also workers, their families and government revenue.

“Our jobs have been stolen and our means of livelihood eroded by piracy,” Iyiola said.

He commended the NCC for its dedication to combating book piracy and reaffirmed the NPA’s willingness to collaborate with the commission to effectively tackle the problem across the country.