NCC warns against piracy, sensitises Schools, bookshops.

Port Harcourt, 7, 2025-The Nigerian copyright commission(NCC) has vowed to protect intellectual properties in the country as it tackled sales and purchase of pirated materials in schools and bookshops.

Mr Abdul-Salami Babatunde, Director, Port Harcourt directorate of the commission stated this in Port Harcourt during a sensitisation/inspection of some high profiled schools and bookshops.

Babatunde during the exercise noted that the issue of infringement on rights of authors and publishers has continued to hamper growth.

According to him, intellectual property owners are always victims of the illegal trade and pledged the Commission’s readiness to tackle the menace.

He noted that the commission, through various operational policies of Mr John Asein, its Director General, would leave no stone unturned in tackling piracy.

Emphasising on legal implications of intellectual property theft, Babatunde said that willful copyright infringements attracts various legal penalties.

He also noted that various punishments including imprisonment have been provided by the Copyright Act and urged school’s proprietors and booksellers to be guided by the act.

“I urge you to ensure direct supplies from publishers or authorised agents to avoid being caught in the web of the law.

“We have since embarked on continuous sensitisation and monitoring as part of efforts to stop criminal elements from cashing out on the handwork of original owners of intellectual properties.

“Piracy is a crime, anyone caught indulging in it will face the full weight of the law.

“You are in business to make profits, NCC will not sit back and watch you stampede livelihoods of genuine authors and publishers,” he said.

Our Correspondent reports that the team had visited eight schools in Port Harcourt so far.

Montessori school, Spring Valley International school, Brilliant Secondary school, Brain forte International School were some of the schools visited by the Commission.