The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) on Saturday warned miscreants, foreign films traders and others engaged in illegal businesses in the movie industry to desist from such dubious acts.
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Mr Adedayo Thomas, NFVCB Executive Director, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He said that foreign films were illegal, uncensored and unclassified, therefore unacceptable in the country.
He, therefore, urged those who trade in foreign films to desist from such illegal act because when caught, offenders would be dealt with ruthlessly.
He disclosed that about five offenders were already in court while others whose uncensored movies were seized and burnt were being educated by the board on the kind of films to sell.
“Foreign films in this country are totally banned, they are illegal and we seek the collaboration of the customs and other law enforcement agencies to help us sanitise the creative industry.
” Foreign films are against the growth of the country, they come in illegally without censorship, classification and the property right of the owners and that reduces our rating in terms of intellectual property right.
” So it is a total ban for all foreign films, the only ones allowed are those in the cinemas because we have been able to manage the cinemas and censored them,” he said.
The Executive Director said that with 60 cinemas in the country, 55 had been classified and censored by the board.
Thomas said that the board had a meeting on Jan. 16 with Africa Magic Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo alongside Multichoice to address the issue of obscene musical videos and movies on various television channels.
He said that the board had advised them to desist from showcasing uncensored and unapproved movies and musical videos as any television station found defaulting would be shut down completely.
” We have made them realise that most of the movies they air are uncensored and unclassified, so we are watching them henceforth,” he said