President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday in Abuja inaugurated a committee to look into the state of forensic laboratories available for use by the police and other security agencies.
Mr. Jonathan told the committee to advise the Federal Government on modalities for upgrading the existing laboratories.
The President was represented by the Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade.
He also charged the committee to look at the propriety, technical and financial implications of establishing new laboratories.
The president said that he wanted the laboratories to be line in with technical and professional standards obtainable worldwide.
He decried the absence of up-to-date forensic laboratories in the country, pointing out that the development had hampered crime investigation by the police and other agencies.
“The country cannot continue to depend on other countries for quality and acceptable forensic services,’’ he said.
Mr. Jonathan directed the committee to examine all laws relating to forensic services in the country with a view to updating them to meet international standards. He assured that government would invest in the establishment and equipment of forensic laboratories, due to the rise in crime, occasioned by increasing population and urbanisation. He said the establishment of modern forensic laboratories would enhance the operations of the police and other security agencies, especially in scene-of-crime, forgery, DNA and paternity investigations.
The president directed data collection agencies, including the Police, Immigration, Customs, Prisons, Independent National Electoral Commission and the National Identity Management Commission to integrate their data.
According to him, the measure is imperative to facilitate crime detection and prosecution by security agencies.
Membership of the committee was drawn from all the security services, the Presidency and the Office of the Solicitor-General of the Federation.
The committee has one month to submit its report.
Meanwhile, the president would on April 29 inaugurate nine helicopters and some operational vehicles for the police for the new integrated air and land patrol operations of the police.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, made the announcement on Monday at a news conference to unveil the 2013 Police Week celebrations.
Mr. Abubakar said that the president would use the occasion to present awards to officers and men of the force who had shown exceptional gallantry and professional excellence in their line of duty.
“Above all, the objective of the police week celebration is to bridge the increasing widening gap between the public and the police and give positive connotation to the popular saying that “police is your friend.
“My sense of fulfillment stems from the fact that it is under my stewardship as inspector-general of police that the concept of the Nigeria Police Week which has remained uncelebrated since 1976, is being re-introduced,” he said.
Some of the activities lined up for the week-long celebration, include medical outreach for the public, quiz competition for school children, symposium and launch of a book, the “Nigeria Police: The Journey So Far.’’