The Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC) in collaboration with the Nigerian Customs Services (NCS) and other sister agencies recently intercepted a 1x20ft Shipping Container loaded with suspected pirated inspirational and educational books belonging to different Copyright owners.
The container was loaded with a total of 1,336 cartons of suspected pirated books amounting to 40,080 copies of various educational and inspirational books, estimated at N20 million.
Mr. Chris Nkwocha, Zonal manager, NCC Lagos Office, said that the 1x20ft shipping container numbered MRKU 9506523 was confiscated after Operatives of the NCC in collaboration with other officers drawn from agencies such as NCS, SSS, NDLEA and the Nigeria Police carried out examination of the container.
Mr. Aderemi Adewusi, NCC head of Public Affairs of the NCC quoted Nkwocha as explaining that the container was discharged and transferred from Tin Can Island container Terminal but was intercepted at Bollere Logistics West African Terminal in SDV/SCOA Kirikiri, Lagos.
According to him, the seized books include best-selling American titles such as Daughter of Destiny by Kathryn Kuhlman; Me and My Big Mouth authored by Joyce Meyer; the Midas Touch by Keneth Hagin, Mysterious Secrets of the Dark Kingdom by J.P Timmons and Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionaries which originated from China.
The Zonal Manager said the Commission in collaboration with Tin Can Area Command of the Custom Services Apapa took custody of the said shipping container on December 18, 2013 adding that investigations have commenced to unmask the identity of the importers with the view to arresting and prosecuting the pirate in line with the provision of the Copyright Act Cap C28 LFN 2004.
He urged the general public to support the effort of the Commission by reporting suspected pirates and their accomplices to Law Enforcement Agencies and warned importers of pirated goods to desist from the heinous act as the Commission is leaving no stone unturned in the fight against piracy.