The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has raided several bookshops in Ibadan, Oyo State, seizing pirated books, sealing outlets, and arresting suspects in a fresh crackdown on copyright violations.
The Saturday operation was led by the Oyo State Coordinator of NCC, Mrs. Oluropo Oke, with support from operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Bookshops sealed include Genesis, God’s Grace, Idera, Ireti-Olu, Oluseyi, and Blessings Bookshops, among others, located in Beere, Oritamerin, Dugbe, Gbagi, and Agbeni areas of Ibadan.
Oke said the exercise was part of NCC’s mandate to curb piracy, particularly during the school season when book demand is high.
“We check what sellers display, their sources of supply, and ensure they do not stock pirated works,” she said.
She added that the Commission’s Director-General, Dr. John Asein, maintains zero tolerance for piracy because it deprives authors and publishers of their rightful earnings.
According to Oke, many of the shops lacked proper receipts or purchase records for their inventory.
“Some of the receipts we saw only showed the total amount of books purchased without listing titles or authors. That’s a sign of shady practices. They must explain their records,” she said.
She warned that both sellers and shop owners who obstruct enforcement officers would face prosecution.
