A LEGAL EXAMINATION OF THE EFFICACY OF FORENSIC INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF CASES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Due to the prevalence of cyber and electronic driven crimes the world over, kinetic and orthodox means of fighting and preventing crimes and criminalities have become outdated and ineffective. Criminals no longer need to move around to commit crimes or perpetrate criminality since the internet and other technological means of engaging in crime are readily available. Most crimes, particularly economic and financial crimes which are on the increase these days, need no human contacts to be committed. This has as well, increased the burden of crime prevention and fighting. The article, therefore, seeks to examine the effectiveness of the use of forensics in investigation and prosecutions of crimes in Nigeria. The doctrinal research methodology is used in this work whereby primary and secondary means of sourcing information and data are freely used and referred to. It is the finding of this work that, some break throughs have been recorded by law enforcement agencies in the fight against crime and criminalities through forensic investigation and prosecution of crimes in Nigeria. There are also some failures record due to the low level of technological know-how, experts and lack of equipment on the side of the operatives. It is also found that, criminals themselves have been doing everything possible to neutralise and defeat these new methods of crime fighting and prevention. It is recommended among others that, frequent training and updates of the equipment and technology in crime fighting be implemented to bring into used modern knowledge, experts, equipment and technology in these engagements to avoid any lapses.