Categories: City Updates

Pornographic Films, Others Worth N2.5B Seized by Censors Board

Agency Report/

Mrs Bola Athar, Acting Director of Operations, National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), has disclosed that the board seized pornographic and other unclassified films worth N2.5 billion in two years.

She made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at a dinner reception on Sunday night in Abuja to mark second year of Mr Adedayo Thomas as Chief Executive Officer of the board.

NAN reports that top management staff, industry stakeholders and other functionaries of government were present at the event to felicitate with Thomas for effectively steering the Nigerian movie industry in the last two years.

Athar, who took a retrospective look into the activities of the board for the period, said the feat was unprecedented.

According to her, the seized items include production equipment, DVDs, CD copies of 20 in 1 video films, unclassified foreign and local films as well as pornographic materials.

“This is the first time in the history of NFVCB that its Director-General will go for raid operations and in two years, the board sanitized the market of unwholesome films, valued at N2.5 billion.

“These items include pornographic films, unclassified local and international movies as well as machines for mass duplication of films.

“These items were seized during our enforcement operations across the country, including Kaduna, Benin,Warri, Kano, Onitsa and Lagos, to serve as deterrent and prevent such illegal products from selling in the market,” she said.

Athar explained further that suspects arrested during the period had been charged to court in accordance with the enabling laws of the board.

She also said that the board had strengthened relationship with relevant stakeholders, including the police, whose enforcement operations yielded the desired results.

“For example, Adedayo Thomas led a team of our men with the help of the Police to invade the Alaba International Marke, known as the hub of piracy in Lagos.

“That operation resulted in the removal of unapproved film and video works, with street value of over N50 million, from the market and many suspects arrested.”

Athar noted that the board under its current leadership, had been repositioned to provide staff with better welfare package and strengthen relationship with relevant stakeholders and industry players.

She, however, urged all filmmakers operating in the country to ensure total compliant with the NFVCB regulations, to avoid legal actions.

She said that the board had articulated an integrated public enlightenment strategy aimed at raising awareness of stakeholders in the film industry.

NAN reports that as part of the event, a Five-year strategic Plan document was handed over to Thomas by his management team.

Mrs Fatima Abdulkadir, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, who presented the document to Thomas, said it was a compendium of the NFVCB programme for 2019 to 2024.

Abdulkadir, the most senior director in the board said: “We have a committee that consists of members drawn from every department of the board who came up with this document that contains what we intend to do in the next 5 years.

“It will be followed by an implementation plan, all geared toward repositioning the censors board as a regulator of the largest film and video industry in Africa, and second in the world.”

NFVCB,  a Federal Government body that regulates the films and video industry in Nigeria, is empowered by law to classify all films and videos, whether imported or produced locally.

It is also the duty of the Board to register all films and videos outlets across the country, as well as keep a register of such outlets, among other functions.

President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Thomas as Executive Director of the board in March, 2017.

0
Dipo

Dipo Kehinde is an accomplished Nigerian journalist, artist, and designer with over 34 years experience. More info on: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dipo-kehinde-8aa98926

Recent Posts

Are The Grammys Relevant Outside the United States?

Building Credibility For nearly eight decades, the Grammy Awards have stood as the pinnacle of…

14 hours ago

Disputed 5.3bn Shares: Court Adjourns Barbican/FBN Holdings Suit as Ecobank’s Recusal Motion Remains Pending

Justice Ayokunle Faji has adjourned further proceedings in the suit filed by Barbican Capital Limited…

2 days ago

Los Angeles Protects Undocumented Immigrants from Trump’s Deportation Plans with Sanctuary Ordinance

Segun Atanda/ The Los Angeles City Council has approved a sweeping "sanctuary city" ordinance designed…

2 days ago

Trump Could Face Prison After Second Term, Prosecutors Say

Segun Atanda/ New York prosecutors have opposed dismissing President-elect Donald Trump’s conviction for falsifying business…

2 days ago

MC Oluomo Flouts Court Order, Assumes Office as NURTW President

Femi Ashekun/ In a bold and controversial move, Musiliu ‘MC Oluomo’ Akinsanya, has defied a…

2 days ago

Tinubu Sacks Nnamdi Azikiwe University VC, Registrar … Dissolves Council

Matilda Omonaiye/ President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has dissolved the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University,…

2 days ago