Lagos State House of Assembly’s joint Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Public Petitions and Transportation, Commerce and Industry have commenced investigation into a petition written by the Yoruba Video Films Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria(YOVIFPMAN) over act of piracy in Alaba International market, Ojo, Lagos.
At the inaugural meeting, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade directed all stakeholders at the meeting to forward documents that would assist the Committee do a thorough investigation. According to him, the State House of Assembly would ensure that justice is done, urging the stakeholders to provide necessary information on the people indulging in film piracy in the State. Hon. Bisi Yusuf commended efforts of the stakeholders who were at the meeting, saying that the House, especially the joint Committee would do everything possible to investigate the matter without fear or favour.
The Chairman, Electronics Section, Alaba International Market, Mr. Ezeani Celestine, said his section had been cleared from pirated films. “In our own section electronics, we have sanitized the whole place as we used taskforce to force piracy out of electronic section”
“You can see pirated films at Fancy and Furniture Section, but for electronics section no way”. In his contribution, President Yoruba Video Films Producers/Marketers Associations of Nigeria, Alhaji Toyin Uthman alleged that in Alaba, pirated films are sold in the market openly with impunity without regard for any constituted authority and the patent owners.
“The activities of these criminals have reduced us to the state of penury as our loss monthly runs into millions annually while they smile to the bank daily” he said. He further disclosed that the perpetrators use sophisticated machine that can produce as many copies as possible within an hour to dub their films and sell these pirated copies at ridiculously low price to the unsuspecting public.
The Association therefore urged the Assembly to come up with a stringent law that would address the matter.
