By PRECIOUS AKUTAMADU

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has detained the proprietors of four private schools in Rivers in connection with alleged book piracy.

The Director of NCC, Port Harcourt Directorate, Mr Abdul Babatunde, disclosed this to newsmen on Friday, shortly after an anti-piracy operation within the GRA, Rumuibekwe; Rumukurusi and East-west Road axis in the Port Harcourt metropolis.

Babatunde said that the suspected pirated books worth N2.5 million were confiscated by the commission during operation.

He said that the raid was carried out to curtail the illicit activities of school proprietors, as it affected the book trade.

?The school proprietors, whose schools were visited, are currently undergoing investigation and would be charged to court, if the commission is able to establish a prima facie evidence against them,? he said.

Babatunde said that there would be no safe haven for dealers of pirated books within the jurisdiction under his watch.

He said that it was part of the commission?s mandate to protect and promote the rights of authors and other investors in the copyright ecosystem.

According to him, the NCC Director-General, Dr John Asien, has zero tolerance for piracy and violation of the copyright laws.

Babatunde, therefore, warned school proprietors, booksellers, printers and importers of pirated books to desist from the criminal act.

He also advised the public against patronising pirates, saying that it was a criminal offence to do so.

He appealed to the public to assist the commission with credible information that could help it deal with the menace. (NAN)