Everest Amaefule, Abuja
A total of 1,289,344 units of suspected pirated literary, musical, software and broadcast gadgets valued at N1.22bn belonging to different copyrights holders were confiscated in the first two quarters of the year, the Nigerian Copyright Commission said.
The Director-General of the NCC, Mr. Afam Ezekude, said this in a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday.
Ezekude said the seizures carried out after 80 surveillances and 26 antipiracy operations saw to the arrest of 48 suspected pirates from across the country.
He also disclosed that three shipping containers stacked with suspected pirated books, CDs, VCDs and DVDs valued at N275m were seized during a Nigerian Customs Service and NCC joint inspection exercise earlier in the year.
The NCC boss said within the period under review, the commission secured two convictions against film and book pirates at the Federal High Court, Lagos; instituted five fresh cases against copyright infringers in different Federal High Court Jurisdiction across the country; and recorded different levels of progress in the prosecution of suits across the country.
According to Ezekude, the impounded items represent income that would have been lost by legitimate rights owners and taxable income revenue that would have been lost by the Federal Government.
He gave assurances that commission was committed to delivering on its mandate, adding that it had intensified its inspection and monitoring exercise in copyright piracy endemic outlets across the country.
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