By Femi Osinusi
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has raided several bookshops in Ibadan, Oyo State, sealing outlets and arresting owners over the sale of pirated books.
The operation, conducted on Saturday in collaboration with operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), was led by the Oyo State Coordinator of the Commission, Mrs. Oluropo Oke.
Shops affected include Genesis, God’s Grace, Idera, Ireti-Olu, Oluseyi and Blessings Bookshops, as well as others located in Beere, Itamerin, Dugbe, Gbagi and Agbeni areas of the city.
Oke said the exercise was part of NCC’s mandate to curb piracy, particularly during the school season when the demand for textbooks rises sharply. She explained that enforcement officers inspected sellers’ displays, traced their supply chains, and reviewed records to verify authenticity of stock.
“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,” Oke said, warning that excuses about shortages from publishers or authors would not justify stocking pirated works.
She stressed that piracy undermines authors, publishers, and the creative industry, while also flooding the market with substandard books.
According to Oke, the suspects arrested will face prosecution, while shop owners who obstruct enforcement risk legal action.
NCC’s Director-General, Dr. John Asein, has repeatedly maintained a zero-tolerance stance on piracy, saying it robs creators of their rightful earnings and damages the publishing industry.
