The Federal government has signed an agreement with Microsoft Nigeria , a collaborative effort that would give impetus to the war against computer and internet-based fraud and crime in Nigeria.
By the terms of the memorandum of understanding (MOU), the first of its kind between Microsoft and any African government, the Economic and financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria will partner with Microsoft to create a safe legal environment for technology development in the country.
Neil Holloway, president of Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa, who signed the agreement on behalf of Microsoft, said the measure, which is aimed at enforcing the laws guiding computer and internet usage in Nigeria , would also support the attraction of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and ensures sustainable economic development in Nigeria.
Holloway explained that the agreement would demonstrate and confirm how public-private partnerships could be built to combat issues such as spam, financial scamming, phishing, spy ware, viruses, worms, malicious code launches and counterfeiting.
Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, EFCC executive chairman, who signed the MoU on behalf of the Nigerian government, observed that having a committed, reliable and value-conscious software partner such as Microsoft, I critical to the success of the crusades embarked upon by the EFCC.
Ribadu said EFCC had been at the forefront of Nigeria 's anti-cyber crime war, adding that the EFCC investigates and takes proactive measures to help prevent cyber crime. This, according to him, includes gathering evidence, painstaking investigation, arrests, seizure of assts, diligent prosecution an education of the general market.
Besides issues of cyber crime, the advance Fee Fraud section of the Commission is currently investigating hundreds of suspects and prosecuting over 50 cases, involving close to 100 accused persons, in courts throughout Nigeria .
As part of the Mou, Microsoft and the EFCC will work together to combat the problem of internet crime through information sharing and training on Microsoft's technical expertise in this area.
Okey Ikpe, public sector manager for Nigeria and Ghana at Microsoft, commended the partnership as a trail-blazer for Microsoft and the Nigerian government.
He noted that one of President Obasanjo's primary public initiatives is the reduction and eventual eradication of corruption with the EFCC being tasked with investigating financial transactions to mitigate the risk of money laundering.
He said the EFCC is also working actively to prevent IT-related crimes and misdemeanors. “We have seen a remarkable proliferation of computer and Internet-related crimes emanating from Nigeria – some of the most infamous of which include the so-called ‘419' scams,” Ikpe said.