CP: Lagos DNA and Forensic Centre‘ll Help Resolve Crime Cases

 

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, has said the state-of-the-art Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre (LSD&FC) will help the state police command in crime investigation and quick resolution of crime cases.

Muazu, who stated this on Thursday during his visit and tour of the LSD&F centre, noted that it is heartwarming to have such facility which is used in advance countries in crime investigation.

According to a statement by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Kayode Oyekanmi, the police commissioner said the state Police Command would work hand in hand with the centre to scientifically combat crime.

The Managing Consultant of LSD&FC, Dr. Richard Somiari, who took the police commissioner round the facility, explained that the centre has the technology and expertise to support all the DNA testing needs of Lagos State, including consultation on old cases, crime scene processing, evidence collection, serological screening for blood, semen and saliva, DNA analysis, mass disaster victim identification and cold case files review.

He added that an important task before the centre is the development and management of a central DNA database to be known as the Lagos State DNA Database (LSDD).

"The DNA crime laboratory will especially be helpful when dealing with organised crime, including automobile theft, home burglaries and extortion.

"Many of these crimes are organised, gang related and committed by the same people, and with DNA forensics, the DNA from the crime scenes and suspects will be put in a DNA database," Somiari said.

He explained that the project would allow the testing of human specimens such as blood, urine, saliva and tissue to check for chemicals, poisons and toxins that may be harmful or responsible for death.

Somiari added that the chemistry section in the centre would allow the testing of suspicious and controlled substances recovered from individuals or from crime scenes.

While restating the state government commitment to crime fighting with technology, Somiari stated that the state government would continue to ensure the effective functioning of the LSD&FC through the organisation of specialised enlightenment and training programmes for judges, police, lawyers and emergency responders.

The centre recently received the ISO/IEC17025:2017 accreditation by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) for forensic DNA testing.

With the accreditation, LSD&FC is one of very few laboratories in the world accredited under the latest 2017 (ISO/IEC 17025) standards in the area of forensic DNA analysis and serology.