ENUGU—PIRATED books and contrivances for piracy worth several millions of naira have been impounded by officials of the Nigerian Copyright Commission and the police from the commercial town of Onitsha while three persons were arrested in connection with the illegal business. A crack team of Copyright inspectors led by the Zonal Officer in Enugu, Mr. Michael Madueke, men of the Zone 9 Nigeria Police Force, Umuahia, officials of Literamed Publications Limited and Evans Publishers Limited carried out the raid which led to the seizure of the pirated books that include titles in the stable of Evans Publishers Limited by yet to be identified publishers, as they were still at production stage.
According to a press statement issued by NCC Regional Coordinator, South-East, Mr. Anthony Nwagugu, those arrested were Charles Egbuna, owner of the Printing Press, Jashua Chukwu, the Kord Operator and Damian Eleshi, an employee, adding that they were apprehended while carrying out their illicit production in the night of Tuesday, July 12, 2004.
He stated that the operation that lasted over two and half hours was very fruitful, adding that the suspects had made useful statements and would soon be arraigned before a Federal High Court.
“The team acting on a tip-off raided the printing press located at No. 11 Onyekwelu Street, Fegge, Onitsha where the pirated books were being produced and stored. The officials of Evans Publishers Limited said that the completed books and printed flat sheets were part of a large consignment of locally pirated books, especially in Onitsha, an area that is regarded as a piracy prone zone,” the statement said.
The pirated books impounded include 2,225 copies of “Numbers and Objects for Beginners 1,2,3”; 15,000 printed flat sheets of Evans Reading for Nursery Schools, Book 2 by Ebele Machiewesi, Bala Ala, Adedeji Awoniyi and Afun Baba; 5,000 printed flat sheets of books of other publishers, rims of printed flat sheets of Mathematics and English. Also impounded are rims of plain paper covers; 537 bundle of printing paper each containing 500 printing flat sheets; one Newron Computer; two Kord 64 electric motor, one Guillotine paper table; one Guage indicator; two steel jacket; 45 printing plates; two swinging gripper; six delivery gripper; 17 Rollers and two water basins.
Acting Director-General of NCC, Mrs. Loretta Njoku, speaking on the ugly development, warned all pirates including book pirates to desist from their illegal activities, as the commission was determined more than ever to crackdown on them. She said that major outlets and depots for pirated works had been identified across the country especially in the South-East zone and would all be raided, while those arrested would be prosecuted.
“The commission is determined more than ever to deal decisively with those that are merchandising intellectual property in the form of piracy and the anti-piracy raids will continue with undiminishing intensity until a zero tolerance is achieved for piracy,” the acting DG said. She, however, appealed to members of the public to report to the commission any suspected depots or outlets for pirated books and other copyright works.
