Mr. Abdul-Salami Babatunde
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has intensified its campaign against the sale and use of pirated materials in schools and bookshops across Rivers State.
Led by the NCC Director in Port Harcourt, Mr Abdul-Salami Babatunde, the team visited several schools and bookshops to educate stakeholders on the dangers of copyright infringement and the associated legal penalties.
Babatunde warned that piracy undermines intellectual property growth and attracts severe sanctions, including imprisonment. He urged schools and book dealers to purchase books only from recognised publishers and avoid shortcuts for profit.
“Our goal is to eliminate those benefiting from other people’s creative work. Anyone caught in this illegal act will face the law,” he said.
The NCC team visited schools such as Excellent Montessori, Spring Valley International, and Brain Forte International, as well as bookshops in Mile 3 Market, Port Harcourt.
Babatunde emphasised that the Commission’s monitoring and sensitisation efforts would continue until piracy is eradicated, stressing that traders and educators must partner with the NCC to protect the rights of authors and publishers.
