Mr Rockson Igelige, Lawyer to Mr Elias Ozikpu, the writer of ‘Heroes of the Night’ has called for the arrest of Macmillan and Melrose Publishers Ltd.

He said that the call for the arrest was sequel to the refusal of Macmillan and Melrose Publishers Ltd. to honour invitation by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) on alleged copyright infringement

Igelige, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja that such arrest would serve as deterrent to other violators of copyrights in the country.

He said that the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) had rejected the representative of Macmillan and Melrose Publishers Ltd. over invitation on alleged copyright infringement of a dramatic literary work, ‘Heroes of the Night’.

Igelege said that the petition before NCC was based on criminal infringement for which the directors that represented the publisher could not make statements in a representative capacity.

He said that the NCC was yet to dispatch a letter of invitation to the Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), who is a party in the matter

He said that the Managing Directors of Melrose and Macmillan were billed to appear at the NCC headquarters on July 29, but refrained from doing so and only sent representatives.

According to him, the NCC has now written a second invitation letter to the directors with the determination to issue a warrant for their arrest in the event that they fail to honour the second invitation.

The NCC is of the view that the petition before was based on criminal infringement for which the directors cannot make statements in a representative capacity.

The legal practitioner said that the author, Ozikpu was also pursuing the infringement on his work ‘Heroes of the Night’ in a civil action filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos Division.

He said that Ozikpu was asking the court to award N400 million as general damages and N800 million as aggravated and punitive damages for the unlawful infringement on his copyright.

According to him, this is contained in an amended statement of claim filed and served on all three parties.

He stressed that the author was also asking the court to grant an order of perpetual injunction restraining Melrose, Macmillan and UBEC.

Others include their agents, privies, successors-in-title or assigns from further selling, distributing or offering for a fee his dramatic work: ‘Heroes of the Night’.

Igelege said that the NCC was considering issuing a warrant for the arrest of Managing Directors of Macmillan and Melrose Publishers Ltd.

NAN recalls that in a petition dated Feb. 9 and addressed to the Director-General of NCC, Ozikpu’s lawyer informed NCC of the misdemeanors of the publishing company.

“Melrose Books and Publishing Ltd. had since 2012 partnered with Macmillan and UBEC to publish and distribute his client’s work to schools nationwide without the prior knowledge and authorization of his client.”