FIC Report (Imo State) – The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has re-arrested and arraigned two suspected book pirates in Owerri following their failure to appear before the Federal High Court after earlier being served with court processes.
The suspects, Martins Ikechukwu Nwokorie and Ikenna Nwosu, were apprehended after intensified surveillance and intelligence-driven enforcement operations by officials of the Commission.
According to the Commission, the suspects were tracked and re-arrested through credible intelligence which led enforcement operatives to their locations in Owerri.
They were subsequently arraigned before the Federal High Court Nigeria sitting in Owerri, presided over by Wigwe-Oreh Chituru Joy, on charges related to alleged copyright infringement and failure to honour previous court summons.
Following their arraignment, the court granted the defendants bail with conditions, including the provision of sureties and the execution of the required bail bond. Pending the fulfilment of these conditions, the court ordered that the defendants be remanded at the correctional facility in Owerri.
Commenting on the development, the Director-General of the NCC, John Asein, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to combating copyright piracy across the country.
He stressed that piracy undermines creativity and deprives authors and publishers of the rightful benefits of their intellectual efforts. He assured that the Commission would continue to intensify enforcement efforts to track down offenders and ensure that those who violate copyright laws are brought to justice.
The NCC boss further reiterated the Commission’s zero-tolerance stance against copyright infringement and emphasised that intelligence-led enforcement and diligent prosecution will remain key strategies in protecting Nigeria’s creative and knowledge industries.
He also called on stakeholders in the book value chain, including authors, publishers, booksellers and educational institutions, to support the Commission’s anti-piracy efforts by complying with copyright regulations and reporting suspected infringements.
Chika Anurunwa
PIPRO
8/3/2026
