The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone ‘2’ Headquarters, (Lagos. Ogun) AIG Adeleke Adeyinka, has assured creatives in Nigeria of his full support and that of the Nigerian Police in the war against the infringement of intellectual property of creative people in the film industry.
According to a statement signed by the AVRS’ Acting General Manager, Olubukola Adeyemi, the police chief assured a delegation of the Audio Visual Rights Society of Nigeria (AVRS) led by its chairman, Mahmood Ali-Balogun, that the police would work closely with stakeholders in the film industry, to ensure that the commercial and public use of audiovisual works are done within the ambit of the law and that no infringer of copyright will successfully escape paying for the commercial use of audiovisual works in their business premises within the zone.
Ali-Balogun, who was accompanied by members of the AVRS board and top Nollywood stars, said, “We are here today as a follow up to our last visit, to thank you and the police for the huge support so far given to AVRS in the legal discharge of its mandate in the Lagos and Ogun zone and to further request for the continued support of the AIG and police, to ensure that commercial users of our films and movies within the jurisdiction of the AIG fully comply with the extant law. In the last one year, since we embarked on our compliance drive around the Lagos metropolis, the police has been very supportive and the men of the force have conducted themselves very honourably.
He added that, “We have always followed due process by ensuring that users are well informed and given enough time to meet their copyright obligations to AVRS. It is however sad that despite these efforts, some users are still recalcitrant and unwilling to respect the law and since we cannot take laws into our hands, we always need the assistance of the police, to ensure compliance and keep the peace. Above all, the illegal use of our copyright works in these facilities without an AVRS licence is both civil and criminal matter. So, we thank you once again for your understanding of the plight of our members and lending your support and that of the police in the fight against copyright theft.”
Ali-Balogun also called on all defaulting commercial users of audiovisual works to stop shopping for help where there is none in an attempt to undermine the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He strongly advised them to simply obey the law by meeting their copyright obligations to AVRS.
