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LASRAB, IIM-Africa, Others Seek End to Intellectual Property Theft

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(L-): Prof. Ayodeji Olukoju, vice-chancellor, Caleb University, Lagos State, Barr. Chris Nkwocha, zonal Director, Nigeria Copyright Commission, Lagos Operational Office, Mrs. Oluranti Odutola, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Lagos, Dr. Oyedokun O. Oyewole, President, RIMa Foundation/ Chairman, Board of Trustees, Institute of Information Management-Africa, Biodun Onayele, DG, LASRB and Lateef  Raji, Immediate Past Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the Lagos State Gover
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The Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau (LASRAB) on 2015 International Archives Day convened a stakeholder meeting to chat way forward to confront copyright issues in Nigeria as it relate to the law, with the theme “Copyright: Interpreting the law for Archives & Allied Institutions”.

Discussants comprising archivists, Liberians, Lawyers and academia, among others in the Copyright business said it has become expedient to stop copyright infringement in Nigeria, even as the institute of Information Management (IIM-Africa) insisted that awareness creation is key.

‎However, Barrister Chris Nkwocha, zonal Director, Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC), Lagos Operational Office and guest speaker at the Forum, said that it was imperative for copyright laws to be respected and adhered to by all in order to prevent litigation.

He submitted that it’s was high time the act of piracy was stopped as it has constituted a major economic loss to millions of creative minds in the country, a factor that has further limited research works and launching of unique ideas.

Barr. Nkwocha therefore, pointed that it was time to eradicate further piracy of multimedia materials like Films, musicals and documentaries, many visible in Alaba market, Lagos and other major stores including Books piracies many surfacing in Bookshops across the country.

He added that Archivist and Records users should always adhere to the law and see that owners of a work are properly communicated and attributed if their works must be used.

However, he said they are exception to the law, which is fair use, it states that there is freedom to use part of a material for educational purposes examples are students and researchers who use an Author’s book for the purpose of learning, research or education and not for commercial gains.

Other discussants at the event, reiterated the need to create a society where copyright laws thrive and offenders are punished.

The Discussants were: Mr. Folarin Fambegbe, Director, Golden Scepter; Dr. Tajudeen Ajani Lawal, Director, Lagos State Library Board; Mr. Habeeb Sanni, Lecturer, Department of History and International Studies, Lagos State University, Ojo; Mrs Adebukola Agbaminoja, Chief Council Ministry of Justice, Lagos State; Amb. (Dr.) Oyedokun O. Oyewole,

President, RIMa Foundation/ Chairman, Board of Trustees, Institute of Information Management-Africa and Mr. Biodun Onayele, DG, LASRB.

Mrs. Oluranti Odutola, permanent secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Lagos State pointed that it was important for Archivists to be conversant with the law of copyright in order to professionally operate in line with best global practices.

“Archivists or Archives operators are custodians of enduring records, who provide necessary data and information as published by creators, preserve and present them on request to researchers and the general public. It is therefore important that they are conversant with the law and comprehend its implication for their profession- especially as it affects the intellectual property Rights of the Persons who created the records and archives in their custody. It is essential to find out if they are vicariously liable for the actions for the users of the materials in their custody.”

Barr. Nkwocha further urged other states in the country to borrow a leaf from LASRB activities and successes.

LASRAB was conceived in 1995 as a Public Sector reform programme for better management of Lagos State records for planning, policy process, enhanced service delivery and heritage preservation.

In 2002, it was accepted as the Integrated Records and Archives Management Programme (IRAMP), a sub-component of the World Bank-assisted State Governance and Capacity Building Programme (SGCBP) which later became the Lagos Metropolitan Development and Governance Project (LMDGP).

A member of the panel of discussants, Dr. Oyedokun Oyewole, president/chairman Governing Council, Institute of Information Management contended that there was need for more awareness of copyright laws urging the Government to better empower NCC in discharging its duties.

‎His words, “You will agree that awareness is not enough. There is need for more awareness to be created. The NCC should be more empowered to embark on several initiatives and ensure that the entire nation is covered. It is very disturbing to note that many people are not even aware about the existence of Nigerian Copyright Commission”.

LASRAB formally came into legal existence as a Lagos State Government agency pursuant to Law 22 of 2007; the Bureau is under the supervision of the Ministry of Information and Strategy.

Administratively, LASRAB took-off on 1st August, 2008 but effective operation began on 1st December, 2008, with the appointment and assumption of duty of the premier Director General.‎


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E-Business

Microsoft Servers Hacked by Chinese Groups

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Chinese “threat actors” have hacked Microsoft’s SharePoint document software servers and targeted the data of the businesses using it, the firm has said.

Microsoft Servers Hacked by Chinese Groups

 

China state-backed Linen Typhoon and Violet Typhoon as well as China-based Storm-2603 were said to have “exploited vulnerabilities” in on-premises SharePoint servers, the kind used by firms, but not in its cloud-based service.

The US tech giant has released security updates in response and has advised all on-premises SharePoint server customers to install them.

“Investigations into other actors also using these exploits are still ongoing,” Microsoft said in a statement.

The firm said it had “high confidence” the hackers would continue to target systems which have not installed its security updates.

It added that it would update its website blog with more information as its investigation continues.

Microsoft said it had observed attacks in which hackers had sent a request to a SharePoint server “enabling the theft of the key material by threat actors”.

Charles Carmakal, chief technology officer at Mandiant Consulting firm, a division of Google Cloud, told reporter, it was “aware of several victims in several different sectors across a number of global geographies”.

Carmakal said it appeared that governments and businesses that use SharePoint on their sites were the primary target.

A number of adversaries who stole material encoded by cryptography were then able to regain ongoing access to the victims’ SharePoint data, he said.

“This was exploited in a very broad way, very opportunistically before a patch was made available. That’s why this is significant,” Carmakal said.

Carmakal said the “China-nexus actor” was deploying techniques similar to previous campaigns associated with Beijing.

Microsoft said Linen Typhoon had “focused on stealing intellectual property, primarily targeting organizations related to government, defence, strategic planning, and human rights” for 13 years.

It added that Violet Typhoon had been “dedicated to espionage”, primarily targeting former government and military staff, non-governmental organizations, think tanks, higher education, the media, the financial sector and the health sector in the US, Europe, and East Asia.

Meanwhile, Storm-2603 was “assessed with medium confidence to be a China-based threat actor”.

 

 

 


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NIMC Warns Nigerians of Fake NIN Website

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National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has issued a public warning that it is not associated with NINcard.com.

NIMC Warns Nigerians of Fake NIN Website

According to the commission, the website has been circulating online to offer services for Nigerians seeking National Identification Number (NIN) services.

NIMC, in a post on its official X account on Wednesday, said, “NINcard.com is not in anyway affiliated to NIMC. Stay vigilant!”

The warning was accompanied by screenshots of fake payment receipts and OTP request pages from the website, both of which were boldly stamped “FAKE” by NIMC to alert the public.


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NITDA, API Partner Against Harmful Online Content

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National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in partnership with the Advocacy for Policy and Innovation (API), has convened a one-day workshop in Abuja to advance dialogue on the draft Online Harm Protection (OHP) Bill to confront harmful online content.

NITDA, API Partner Against Harmful Online Content

The bill, a rights-based, locally rooted, and multi-stakeholder initiative, is aimed at addressing the challenges of the digital age.

The event, which held yesterday, brought together government officials, civil society, academics, digital platforms, and legal experts to shape a policy framework designed to combat online ills such as cyberbullying, disinformation, hate speech, digital exploitation, and gender-based violence, while safeguarding democratic freedoms and digital inclusion.

In his keynote remarks, Kashifu Inuwa, director general, NITDA urged a paradigm shift in the way society engages with digital technologies.

“For almost two decades, we have viewed digital technology through a consumer lens. But these technologies are not just products and services. They are transforming how we live, work, and interact. They shape our politics, our society, and our democracy,” he said.

Warning against unaccountable digital power in the hands of private corporations, the DG likened the digital journey to the tale of Alice in Wonderland, where initial fascination with innovation has given way to deeper concerns about privacy, autonomy, and manipulation by big tech platforms.

“We thought we were using Google, but now we realise Google is using us. Social media, once a tool of expression, has become a tool of surveillance and influence,” Inuwa noted.

He, therefore, emphasised the urgency of developing a democratic and accountable framework.  He explained that following the 2021 Twitter ban, NITDA facilitated dialogue between the government and platform operators, leading to a Code of Practice that stressed Nigeria’s sovereignty and legal standards.

According to him, the same process birthed the multi-stakeholder steering committee and the OHP White Paper in December 2024, laying the foundation for the current legislative push.

Earlier in her opening remarks,  Victoria Manya, co-founder, API, observed the moral and civic necessity of the bill.

Her words: “The internet did not break society, it merely revealed its unfiltered version. Every day, Nigerians are exposed to harassment, disinformation, exploitation, and even algorithmic violence. The OHP Bill is not a war on the Internet. It is a peace offering to its users, a social contract for a digital future that is safe, inclusive, and democratic.

“We cannot answer the question of algorithmic power with unchecked state control. We must answer it with shared, rights-based governance. This bill must not be written for the people, but with them.”


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