Be sensitive to facts while investigating criminals -IGP charges officers, men

…with emphasis on homicides

By Ephraim Joshua://

Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba has charged officers and men of the Nigerian police to be sensitive to facts while carrying out criminal investigation with emphasis on homicides.

The IGP stated this during the closing ceremony of a five-day capacity Forensic Training on Basic Crime Scene Investigation with Emphasis on Homicides for selected police officers, organised by Devongnosis Education in partnership with the US Embassy in Abuja. 

Represented by the Assistant IGP AIG Habu Sani, IGP insisted that the purpose for investigation is to bring out the fact to deliver justice to both the victim and the suspect adding that anything short of this will adversely affect the parties involved.

According to him, the training is a strategic partnership that seeks to improve service deliver among the Nigerian police in the face of improving global best practices.   

He stressed that with the level of insecurity in the country, the training could not have come at a better time.

‘‘With this training the officers have learnt a lot and have been informed on the principles of dealing with crime scene management and forensic is very important because you must preserve a scene before carrying out any investigation, noted that once the scene has been tampered it will be almost impossible to get justice at the end of the day’’ he explained” he said.

Charge D’ affaire US Embassy, Kathleen FitzGibbon noted that the training is part of its support to the Nigerian Police as a veritable platform for stakeholders in the police development to brainstorm and fast-track avenues for improvement of the Nigerian Police.

FitzGibbon also stated that, depending on the need of the force at the time, the US embassy seeks to fill the gaps, as the embassy believes in the importance of the rule of law and the need for the police to successfully perform its duties.  

‘‘We send the Nigerian Police to different academy that are in other countries, we have done atrocity prevention training for the police, we work very closely with the bureau. This course is very important because its trains you on how to convict the perpetrators and not the other way round’’ she stated.

Also speaking was the Chairman, Devongnosis Education Limited, Brig. Gen. Shaljaba, who explained that forensic science has increased dramatically in the past 10 years and the Nigerian Police must not be left behind, adding that criminal investigation is crucial considering the various challenges facing the nation.