The Federal Government a forensic and deoxyribonucleic (DNA) laboratory for the Nigeria Police Force as part of strategies to combating the nation’s security challenges.
This was made known by the Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade during the unveiling of the 2013 Police Week Celebration in Abuja, on Monday.
He also said that a Presidential Committee had been set up to assess the state of the forensic laboratories currently in use by the Police and other security agencies in the country, and advise the Federal Government on the modalities for upgrading the available ones and the technical and financial implications of establishing new ones in line with global standards.
The committee, he added, would examine all laws relating to forensic services in the country, with a view to bringing them up to date with what obtains in other climes, especially in the regulation of private forensic practices.
The minister noted that the absence of forensic laboratories in the country hampered crime investigations by the police and relevant agencies.
According to him, the country cannot continue to depend on other countries for quality and acceptable forensic services.
Olubolade further said the Federal Government would invest in the police and in the provision of forensic laboratories to tackle rising crimes in the country.
He added that the establishment of the laboratories would enhance the operations of the Police and other security agencies at crime scenes, forgery, DNA and paternity investigations as well as in prosecution.
He directed data collection agencies like the Police, Nigeria Immigration Services, Customs, Prisons, Independent National Electoral Commission, National Identity Management Commission among others to be ready for data integration in order to facilitate crime detection and prosecution.
The membership of the committee is drawn from security services, Presidency and the office of the Solicitor-General of the Federation and has a month to conclude its report.
The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, who also spoke on the upcoming Police Week celebrations, said that the objective of the event was to bridge the widening gap between the public and the police.
He said, “The 2013 Police Week Celebrations will engender improved consciousness on the part of the rank and file of the Force on their responsibility for enhancing mutual trust and confidence in their operations and interaction with the public. It is for this reason that we chose ‘Connecting with the People for a more Effective Policing’ as the theme for the celebrations.”