Fraud investigators plan forensic laboratories across Nigeria

Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria (CIFCFIN) is to establish world-class forensic laboratories across the federation. The first of them will be built before the year ends. The disclosure is coming on the heels of the assent to the bill for CIFCFIN’s charter by President Muhammadu Buhari on December 23, 2022.

Speaking on significance of the charter, CIFCFIN President and Chairman of Council, Dr. Iliyasu Gashinbaki, indicated the institute will partner more robustly with other enforcement agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC), Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Police, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), among others in the war against corruption, illicit financial flows and other forms of criminality in Nigeria.

“This is why this Institute is poised to usher Nigeria into the era of scientific investigation, hence the necessity for more forensic laboratories across the country,” Gashinbaki declared.
He lamented that up till this moment, “somebody will just break into a house, leave fingerprints all over the place and yet the person will not be caught. So, we are saying here today that that era has ended in Nigeria.”

The CIFCFIN boss explained that the forensic laboratories would be established everywhere in Nigeria, adding that analysis of activities like finger prints, including dispute regarding DNA and the rest, will be a thing of the past.

He submitted that with the laboratories, “we are no longer going to spend years upon years and wasting government money on investigations anymore because if you deploy forensic and technology, you will get accurate results, as these things are straight forward, and you will be able to crack your case in months.”

Gashinbaki said the laboratories would be complemented with the building of the National College of Forensics and Fraud Investigators (NCFFI) by the institute to fast-track training and retraining of law enforcement personnel in scientific investigations. The college is to be domiciled at EFCC Academy, Abuja as part of the institute’s strategic alliance with the anti-graft commission.

Explaining that CIFCFIN has already commenced provision of technical assistance and institutional strengthening to the enforcement agencies notably the EFCC, ICPC, CCB, Police and NDLEA, Gashinbaki reiterated that the Institute is a professional body that has been chartered to complement efforts of prosecuting agencies, promising to play a major role in the 2027 elections by working strategically with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“I am assuring you that in the 2027 general elections, no forged certificate will see light of day,” he pledged.

He said the Institute will work with INEC and the Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC) to make sure that political parties before their primaries turn in certificates of their aspirants for forensic investigations and reviews.