The Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC, on Thursday arrested 12 suspects for allegedly transmitting signals of Multi-choice, a pay-view television company illegally.
The South-East Zonal Manager of the NCC, Emeka Ogbonna, told newsmen in Onitsha that the commission acted on a tip-off from good-spirited individuals in Awada community at Onitsha in Anambra.
Mr. Ogbonna said that during the raid, the commission seized illegal transmitting equipment worth N29.3 million in the community.
He listed the seized facilities as transmitting decoders, transmission boosters and rolls of installation wires and accessories.
Mr. Ogbonna said that the suspects had been transmitting illegal broadcasting signals of Multi-choice (DSTV) at a give-away price of N500 monthly for some years.
The zonal manager said the raid was part of the NCC’s renewed commitment to carrying out its regulatory and enforcement mandate.
“The law, when amended, will provide severe penalty for copyright offences and criminalise illegal usage of protected works thus making subscribers liable also,” he said.
He called on the public and stakeholders in the creative industry to support on-going NCC’s protection and anti-piracy campaign.
“NCC is advising those who operate illegal transmissions and the people that subscribe to them to desist to avoid being arrested and charged to court.”
(NAN)*
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