EFCC Arrests suspected high quality counterfeit software reseller in Lagos

Barely 3 months after the investigation and enforcement action taken against a suspected High Quality Counterfeit Software Reseller in the Ikeja area of Lagos by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the agency has arrested yet another suspect, Arewa Systems Limited, within the same vicinity who allegedly sells High Quality Counterfeit (HQC) software.

The raid, which followed general complaints by resellers in the area and a petition to the local law enforcement authorities, is aimed at curbing the proliferation of counterfeit software in the country, and addressing the harmful impact to individuals as well as the Nigerian economy caused by pirated software which often contain malware.

“The strident message that this intervention sends is that computer software albeit an intellectual property qualifies better as a literary work that must be protected from the exploitation of merchants of counterfeiting and crass opportunism. Additionally, the theft of such creative expressions fixed in a tangible medium of expression constitutes a serious economic crime in Nigeria under Sections 18 & 46 of the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission Act, Cap E1 LFN 2010 and Section 491 Criminal Code Act Cap C28 LFN 2010.To all the dealers in imitation and fake products, big or small, it is no longer business as usual” said Francis Chuka Agbu, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Partner in the Law firm of Lexavier Partners and Microsoft Nigeria’s outside counsel in relation to Anti-Piracy matters.

Government is not alone in this quest to tackle the menace as many organisations in the country are clamouring for a safer business space, and frequently organise awareness workshops and educational campaigns. A recent high profile campaign is the Microsoft Play it Safe Day designed to drive global awareness across businesses, government organisations, and consumers of the increased risk of cyber security issues as a direct result of pirated software.

According to Temofe Ugbona, Anti-Piracy Manager, Microsoft Nigeria, “Quite a number of resellers abound in the country that are in possession of high quality counterfeit software that is packaged like genuine software – a trend resulting in many consumers, who believe they are purchasing software from a reliable source, unknowingly becoming victims to software piracy.

These consumers who unintentionally purchase counterfeit software from resellers and only later find out they have been duped, expose themselves to a plethora of risks, which on the long-run can prove extremely costly for individuals, and often disastrous for businesses. Honest resellers, who sell only genuine software, are put at an unfair disadvantage, and ultimately the whole economy feels the effects”.

According to a new joint study conducted by IDC and the National University of Singapore (NUS), global consumers are expected to spend $25 billion and waste 1.2 billion hours this year because of security threats and costly computer fixes stemming from malware on pirated software.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between genuine and non-genuine software unless consumers are discerning and know what to look out for hence, Microsoft advises, “Play it safe. Ask questions, investigate the packaging, watch out for “too good to be true” prices and demand genuine software – to ensure what you pay for and protect your family or your business from the threat of malware associated with pirated or counterfeit software”.

Consumers who have purchased suspected pirated software, or have information on resellers selling pirated software should call +234 1 4621100 or send a mail dialogue@microsoft.com to make a confidential complaint. You can find out if you have genuine software by going to http://www.howtotell.com .

For details on Microsoft genuine resellers in Nigeria you can go to http://www.microsoft.com/africa/nigeria/genuinereseller/default.aspx