The Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professionals of Nigeria (CIFIPN) says it will construct an academy to serve as the institute’s training ground for forensic investigators.
Pro-tem President of CIFIPN, Mrs Victoria Enape disclosed this in Abuja at a dinner and award night organised for members and stakeholders of the institute.
Enape who did not mention where the academy would be cited said when established, it would serve as training ground for prospective members.
She said the prospective members would be expected to undergo one year training and pass exams in three stages to qualify for professional membership.
She also said that they must be graduates in the relevant fields to qualify for admission into the academy.
“We are waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the CIFIPN bill into law following its passage at the National Assembly.
“Forensic is an emerging trend; it was not there in the 60s when some of the Acts were established.
“Considering our projection of a pace setter status of CIFIPN, we are hoping to acquire a land that will house a state of the art forensic training centre.
“The purpose of CIFIPN has been called into question while the naysayers have continued to blackmail and even procure the services of other professionals to discourage the government from doing the needful.
“We are more like never before persuaded that Mr President will assent to the bill in no distant time; it is on this note that we plead with the president to see the urgency that is required in ensuring that the bill is assented to,” Enape said.
According to Enape, CIFIPN is also working on establishing a well-equipped forensic laboratory for fraud investigation and analysis.
She said: “This is no mean project; your support is most needed. At the moment, we are gradually running out of enough office space.
“We urgently need an office accommodation that will befit the status of CIFIPN; we are counting on your unalloyed support.
“Without any iota of doubt, our most ranked priority at the moment is to see that the CIFIPN bill is assented to by Mr President.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Abubakar Malami, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice as well as former Minister of Agriculture and Walter Resources, Dr Abba Ruma, were among 10 individuals that received honourary fellowship award.
NAN
