Suspected thugs on Thursday attacked and obstructed an enforcement operation by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) at the Sabo book market in Sagamu, Ogun State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NCC task force had earlier raided two bookshops, confiscated suspected pirated books, and sealed the shops. However, thugs were allegedly mobilised to resist the officials and prevent them from taking the seized books away.
Following threats from the hoodlums, the enforcement team was forced to release the confiscated materials before they were allowed to leave the market.
Speaking after the incident, Mrs. Oluropo Oke, State Coordinator of the NCC Ibadan Office, described the attack as unfortunate and warned that those involved would face prosecution.
“In the course of evacuating pirated books and sealing the shops, the shop owner’s husband organised a group of boys to attack us,” she said.
“We can only win the war against piracy through consistency, and the law is clear—those obstructing enforcement will be arrested and prosecuted. The Commission is under the Federal Ministry of Justice, and perpetrators of such acts will face the consequences.”
Oke added that despite the disruption, other operations in Sagamu were successful, including the sealing of a bookshop at Akarigbo Junction found with pirated books.
She explained that seized books would undergo sorting to determine the number of pirated copies, stressing that even one pirated title was enough to warrant prosecution.
“Piracy harms the economy, promotes substandard goods, discourages authors, and stifles creativity. Bookshop owners found with pirated books will face the full weight of the law,” she warned.
Men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), who accompanied the NCC officials during the raid, were reported to have managed the situation calmly.
