The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has raided two schools in Enugu State and seized pirated books worth over N7 million.

The schools raided by the NCC are Marist Brothers Secondary School, Emene; and Divine Love Secondary School Trans Ekulu in Enugu, the Enugu State capital.

Speaking on Wednesday’s operation, the Director of NCC, Enugu Office, Ngozi Okeke, said the exercise was part of the commission’s effort to end piracy activities in Enugu State and its environs.

Okeke added that the copyright officers led by the Assistant Chief Copyright Officer, Ambrose Odoh, carried out the operation through reliable information.

She listed some of the books confiscated to include Religious and National Value by A.N, Security Education Work Book Compass edition (Revised) by Ebizie Anches Publishers, and Macmillan Brilliant English for Senior School School Book Three by Macmillan Nigeria.

Others are Basic Science Made Easier School Book One and Home Economics for Junior Secondary by West African Book Publishers and Business Studies Work Book for Junior Secondary School by Egbe.T. Ehiametalor, among others.

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Okeke stated that the books from different publishing companies were confiscated as they were stocked in the school bookstores ready for distribution to the students.

The NCC director said: “The action is in continuation of the NCC Enugu Office’s determination to sanitize and rid the state of pirated and substandard books in schools.

“The value of all the books seized is estimated above N7 million.

“What we have done is part of the commission’s mandate to protect and promote the rights of authors and other genuine investors in the book industries.

“It is our duty to ensure that authors get rewards for their creative endeavour.”

She explained that the Director General of NCC, Dr John Asein, has zero tolerance for piracy and infringement of copyright laws.

Okeke urged the public to support the commission with credible information that would enable them to tackle the menace of piracy in Enugu State.

The NCC had, on September 20, seized pirated books worth over N5.7 million from schools in Enugu.

The Star