By DOTUN IBIWOYE
ALABA International market, can be described as one of the largest electronics markets in Africa and also a major source of revenue for the Lagos State government. Unfortunately, the market has also acquired the notoriety of being an enclave for pirated movies and music, no thanks to the activities of some unscrupulous traders.

The market is particularly noted for having the cheapest products of any kind. So taking advantage of the market’s expansive size and overflowing population, dealers in counterfeit goods engage in the sale of their illegal wares side by side genuine or authentic ones.

But the operators of pirated goods got more than they bargained for when operatives of the Nigerian Copyrights Commission, NCC, stormed the market in the company of 120 armed men of the Nigeria Police Force. NCC crew immediately bulldozed all the shops used in the sale of pirated DVDs and CDs.

The leader of the operation, NCC’s Deputy Director, Lagos Zonal Office, Mr. Chris Nwocha told Vanguard Features,VF that the exercise was to re-emphasise the determination of the Commission to ensure that the fight against piracy is taken to the door steps of the pirates.

He also stated that Alaba Market has for some time earned the reputation of being the most notorious piracy point in the country. According to him: “In furtherance of our zero piracy tolerance policy, the operation which was conducted by a joint team of copyright inspectors of the Commission and men of the State Police Command culminated in the seizure of pirated musical works and films estimated to be worth over N10 million.

“We conduct surveillance at anytime of the year. On February 9, 2012, we were prompted by a tip-off, coupled with surveillance and we had to bulldoze everything there and bring the pirated films and music to our office. This raid was carried out between 1a.m and 3a.m.

Original DVDs and CDs

“Beside the shops that we bulldozed, there was a shop that was selling original DVDs and CDs, this shop was spared. So we were very careful when it comes to which shop to bulldoze and which one to spare. All other areas where piracy operates will no longer be spared”.

He added: “There is a

need for Nigerians to be enlightened that the intellectual property is one of the biggest assets that an individual has. The intellectual property also generates billions of revenue for the government and several people are also employed with it.

“It will be unfair if we allow some few people to sit in their shops and pirate the works of others. Any one who infringes on the works of others will have to face the consequences”.

Nwocha assured stakeholders in the copyright community that the Commission will do all within its powers to sustain the current initiative and the fight against piracy is taken to the door steps of pirates.

Meantime, the Commission has reportedly secured the convictions in seven charges of copyright infringement filed in the Lagos, Osogbo and Benin Federal High Court respectively.

These included Charge Numbers FHC/L/369C/2011: NCC V. Paragone Nig. Ltd (Lagos); FHC/L/367C/ll: NCC Vs. Chibueze Obi (Lagos); FHC/L/268C/2009: NCC Vs. CVL Technology Ltd (Lagos);

FHCjOSj5Cj2011: NCC Vs. Bola Ademakinwa (Osogbo); FHCjBjl01Cj2011: NCC Vs. Abel Ogbonnaya (Benin); FHC/B/102C/2011: NCC Vs. Isaac Obums (Benin); FHC/Bj99Cj2011: NCC Vs. Okoro David Bernard (Benin).

The cases involved piracy of software, books, music and films. All accused persons were sentenced to various imprisonment term with option of fines. This brings the total number of convictions obtained by the Nigerian Copyright Commission in the past four months to seven.