NCC Raids Ibadan Bookshops, Arrests Suspects in Anti-Piracy Crackdown

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has raided several bookshops in Ibadan and arrested individuals suspected of distributing pirated television content. The operation, which targeted kiosks selling set-top boxes and decoders used for IPTV piracy, forms part of the NCC’s intensified campaign against illicit streaming and copyright violations.

In the Bodija area of the city, agents of the NCC seized equipment believed to be tools for accessing premium content without authorisation. Shop owners reportedly claimed they dealt only in hardware and did not provide subscriptions or illicit IPTV links. The NCC has rejected this defence, insisting that enabling access to pirated content alongside supplying hardware constitutes a breach of Nigeria’s copyright laws.

Some of those arrested are being held for further investigation, as the commission prepares to bring charges in court. The NCC has emphasised that piracy undermines legitimate content creators and broadcasters, resulting in losses running into billions of naira. It says the recent raid is a warning to those profiting from unlawful content distribution.

The commission is also calling on members of the public to assist its enforcement efforts by reporting cases of piracy. It says that public cooperation is key to protecting intellectual property rights and ensuring that licensed content providers are compensated fairly.