Unless we tame piracy, creative industry might be destroyed – Minister

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has underscored the need for the country to fight the menace of piracy, saying except urgent steps are taken, the creative industry might be destroyed.

Muhammed made this known at the inauguration of the Anti-Piracy Committee initiated by his office.

In a statement signed by the Special Assistant to the Minister, Segun Adeyemi, the inauguration of the anti-piracy committee followed last week’s visit to the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, by the Minister to solicit the support of the Police in the fight against piracy.

The statement listed members of the committee to include, the Director General, National Film and Video Censorship Board, Mr. Adedayo Thomas; The Chairman of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji; Deputies Inspector General of Police in Charge of Criminal Investigation Department Hyacinth Maidugu and that of Operations Joshak Habila; President, Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPAN) Abdullahi Maikano Usman; Ms Tundun Aderibigbe of the House of Tara and Mr. Tonye Princewell, a movie producer.

“This is the first meeting between the police and the major stakeholders in the Ministry of Information and Culture as well as the Creative Industry (on piracy). This meeting is evidence that this is not just about mere talk, but about action,” the minister was quoted as saying.

Mohammed also tasked the committee to devise a pragmatic approach that will ensure a regular and sustained enforcement, with a view to putting an end to the menace of piracy, insisting that except the menace of piracy is tamed, it can ruin the creative industry.

The COSON Chairman, Chief Okoroji described the inauguration of the committee as a milestone in the Creative Industry even as he pledged the commitment of members of the committee to putting their best in articulating a strategy that will stamp out piracy.

Similarly, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in Charge of Criminal Investigation Department, Maidugu assured that the police will carry out the necessary investigation and enforcement of the extant laws against piracy as well as prosecute offenders.