200 illegal websites pirating Nollywood members’ works, says ANOGA

The Alliance of Nollywood Guilds and Associations (ANOGA) says that no fewer than 200 websites have been pirating the Nigerian creative contents in the last 12 months using their Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) domiciled in the country.

ANOGA said this in its communiqué issued at the end of its meeting held in Lagos and made available to our reporter in Lagos.

It was signed by Dr Victor Ashaolu, ANOGA’s president, Mr Afolabi Ogunjobi , its Secretary General and Chief Donatus Chikezie, an executive member of the association.

The communiqué said, “Through our exclusive aggregator, MDN Limited, we have been able to engage a US-based anti-piracy organisation to fight piracy of the Nigerian creative contents on the online platforms globally.

“As part of its test operation, the organisation recently discovered over 200 websites pirating Nigerian creative contents in the last 12 months with their Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) domiciled in Nigeria’’ it said.

ANOGA also said that some telecommunication companies had also conspired with some middle men called Value Added Service (VAS) Licence holders to deny creative content owners in the music and film industry in Nigeria of their revenues.

It said that such revenues should have accrued to the content owners from downloading and streaming their platforms.

ANOGA then appealed to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and the Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, to compel ALTON to make public royalties collected from its sales of Nollywood members’ works in the last one year.

In his reactions, Mr Gbenga Adebayo, the chairman of ALTON confirmed that the association received a letter from ANOGA.

Adebayo said that the letter had been referred to a committee within the association and it was looking into it.

“We need to find out what their legal standing is, because we have the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) and the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), are asking for royalties on some people’s behalf.

“We have asked that the committee should look into the legality of the requests of ANOGA.

“We are looking at what they sent us with relative to what the provision of the law is and at the right time, we will make the right communication to them,” he said.