Justice of the Supreme Court, Moore Aseimo A. Adumein, has declared that Forensic practice has moved to the centre of justice administration, providing clarity, supporting evidence-based conclusions, and strengthening accountability.
He posited that forensic practice supports this directly and indirectly, strengthening both operational processes and institutional integrity. He empahsised that the justice system depends on credible evidence, effective investigation, and proper handling of cases.
Justice Adumein was speaking recently at the second Founders’ Day anniversary of the Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria (CIFCFIN) at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI).
Justice Adumein commended the Institute for introducing modern techniques to combat digital offences, cyber-related threats, and other emerging crimes. “It (CIFCFIN), continues to engage with international investigative frameworks and proposes their adoption in sensitive national processes, such as the electoral system management and public sector reforms. These practices must be guided by credible reports, transparency, and professionalism.”
He added that one of the most outstanding achievements of the Institute is the training and capacity building of over 5,000 forensic professionals across Nigeria and beyond since its inception. “This is no small effort. It has deepened institutional knowledge, expanded professional competence, and enhanced our ability to respond to complex realities. Through this work, the Institute has positioned both public and private organizations to adopt structured forensic methodologies.”
He said the Institute’s efforts have strengthened transparency, reinforced control systems, and improved organizational resilience adding that these have significantly contributed to a world where institutions must address increasingly sophisticated threats and challenges.
In his key note address, the Founder and Chairman, Governing Council, Dr. Iliyasu Gashinbaki said that the Institute’s Second Founder’s Day is more than an anniversary but a reflection on an institution that has become a national pillar against corruption, financial crimes, and systemic decay. “As we mark this moment, we are reminded that every great nation stands on justice, accountability, and truth.”
He explained that the establishment of the Institute “stands today as one of the most significant interventions in Nigeria’s anti-corruption architecture and the entire criminal justice system.”
He therefore called on the federal government to review the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act to reflect today’s realities. He argued that in an era where corruption has become digitally sophisticated, access to timely, accurate and unimpeded information is essential for effective forensic investigation and national accountability.
Gashinbaki commended the Co-Founders who he refers to as the “12 wise men” for their foresight, dedication, sacrifice, and resilience throughout the journey that led to the passage of the bill and its signing into law and the sterling contributions of the former House Committee Chairman of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, who moved the motion for the Bill in the House of Representatives and his then counterpart in the Senate, Senator (Prof.) Ajayi Borroffice, in the Senate Chambers, for seeing the Bill through to its logical conclusion.
CIFCFIN is the first Forensic Institute in Nigeria to be chartered by statute, following the enactment of its Establishment Bill by the National Assembly and its assent by former President Muhammadu Buhari on December 23, 2022.
