The Nigerian Copyright Commission has sealed several bookshops in Ibadan, Oyo State, over alleged sale of pirated books, leading to multiple arrests.
The operation, conducted on Saturday, was led by the Oyo State Coordinator of the NCC, Mrs. Oluropo Oke, with support from operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Bookshops affected by the raid include Genesis, God’s Grace, Idera, Ireti-Olu, Oluseyi, and Blessings Bookshops, located in Beere, Oritamerin, Dugbe, Gbagi, and Agbeni areas of the city.
Speaking after the raid, Oke said the commission was intensifying its crackdown on piracy as the school season fuels demand for textbooks.
“We check what sellers display, trace their sources, and ensure they do not stock pirated works. The Director-General of NCC, Dr. John Asein, has zero tolerance for piracy because it denies authors and publishers their rightful benefits,” she explained.
She revealed that many of the outlets lacked proper purchase records. “Some of the receipts we saw only showed lump sums without listing titles or authors. That’s a sign of shady practices. They must explain their records,” she added.
Oke warned that excuses about scarcity of books from publishers do not justify the sale of pirated copies.
“Piracy kills creativity, hurts the economy, and encourages substandard works. Whether or not publishers meet demand, booksellers must not turn to pirated copies,” she stressed.
The NCC coordinator assured that all suspects arrested during the exercise would be prosecuted in line with the law.
This latest raid follows a similar operation in Ajegunle, Lagos, in November 2024, where pirated books worth ₦20 million were seized.
