The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has offered to assist the Nigerian Copyrights Commission, NCC, in tackling rising wave of piracy and all forms of intellectual property rights infringements.

The Executive Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde made the offer on Friday, November 2, 2012, while receiving a delegation from the Nigerian Copyright Commission, led by its Director General, Mr. Afam Ezekude, at the Commission's headquarters in Abuja .

He described all infringements against intellectual property rights as economic crime since they are, most of the times, induced by monetary gains.
"Those that engage in copyright infringements do not do so for the fun of it, but for monetary gains and this makes it an economic crime." Lamorde said.
He applauded the excellent relationships between the EFCC and the NCC, and called for concerted efforts to consolidate and strengthen existing ties.

"Our relationship with your organization dates back many years ago and the two agencies have a common ground for collaboration which needs to be strengthened especially in the area of intelligence sharing," Lamorde said.

He indicated the Commission's willingness to make available to the NCC, any of its facilities especially the EFCC Academy which he described as one of the best in the country.

Earlier, the Director General of the NCC Mr. Ezekude, said they were at the EFCC to seek ways of strengthening the already existing relationship with the Commission. "We are here to upscale this relationship because the work you do have a direct impact on our work too and there is need for a better synergy." Ezekude stressed.

He revealed that in the last six months, his organization secured 28 (Twenty Eight) convictions and seized about 11 (eleven) containers of pirated goods worth N4 billion.

The NCC boss called for greater collaboration by both agencies especially in the areas of enforcement and capacity building.

Mr. Ezekude was accompanied on the visit by Mr. A.T Kohol, director of prosecution and Mr. Jacob S. Fagbemi, director Legal among others.

Wilson Uwujaren
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity
2nd November 2012