Censors Board drags suspected movie pirates to court

Suspected movie pirates 

The National Film and Video Censors Board,NFVCB, on Thursday,  arraigned  five suspected movie pirates at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The suspected pirates were charged for violation of Censors Board's statues; using unlicensed premises for illicit trade on films.  

  The Executive Director of the Board, Alhaji Adedayo Thomas mobilized stakeholders to throng the court in support of the Board's fight to demystify piracy by trooping to the venue in their numbers. He identified the pirates as Uchechukwu Chukwuma, Austin Ugokwe, Ugochukwu Ikwagwu, Chukuka David and Ndu Celestine.

According to him, the pirates were arrested in August, this year after the Censors Board in collaboration with the National TaskForce raided the popular Alaba International Market in Lagos. Items seized from them during the operation included uncensored, unclassified and pirated films, such as big budget films like Wedding Party, Jenifa’s Diary, Wives on Strike and A trip to Jamaica. The operation also seized items they deploy to perpetrate this economic crime such as multiple DVD copiers, writable DVDs machines and Electricity generators.

Appealing to stakeholders, Thomas said, ‘Your solidarity appearance would go a long way in getting the desired justice’. The management of the Board he noted ,has worked tirelessly to stifle the impact of piracy as a huge cog in the development of the entertainment sector. On assumption in office this year, he constituted a national taskforce to tackle piracy. The taskforce was able to invade the dreaded Alaba International Market and the outcome of that is what we are witnessing today.

The government also recently amended the NFVCB Bill of 2016, and approved a maximum jail term of three years or a fine of N500000.00 for the release of unauthorised works.

The management of the Board maintained it will continue to send signals to persons distributing unclassified films and video works not registered it is no longer business as usual. The same it said applies to persons distributing films and video works on premises not licensed and persons profiting from the investments of entrepreneurs in the film industry.

According to the NFVCB boss, the Board has seized pirated materials worth over N150million in Lagos, Edo and Kaduna states since the inauguration of the joint task force in June 2017.