Nigeria upgrades biometric crime database to stem growing insecurity

The Nigerian Police Force wants to improve its techniques of investigating and tracking criminals as well as locating the sites of criminal activity across the country through intelligence-led criminal investigation processes with forensic biometric capabilities.

In this regard, the Inspector General (IG) of the country’s Police Force, Usman Baba, has given instructions for the upgrade and relaunch of the Nigeria Police Crime and Incident Database Center (NPC&IDB) as well as of all forensics laboratories and digital resource centers, reports Leadership.

President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the database center two years ago.

The NPC&IDP stores a biometrics-based information database that helps operatives of the Nigerian police in gathering critical electronic information in order to assists in probes and strategic operational planning for the easy identification of crime suspects, crime locations, as well as methods used by suspects to perpetuate their crime, Leadership states.

Per the outlet, Baba has also called on officers working in forensics units of the Police Force to put the knowledge they acquire from training workshops to good use so as to collaborate with different government institutions such as ministries, departments and agencies, in the investigation and tracking of criminal activities.

The Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who made the announcement in Abuja on behalf of the Police IG, said it is more important than ever before for the forensic biometric database to be fully operational given the sophisticated manner in which criminals now execute their trade.

The database center, the public relations officer adds, will leverage the capabilities of the police in fighting crime digitally and would also serve as a centralized databank to help in profiling and identifying criminal suspects and ensuring that crime data is better managed.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  criminal ID  |  forensics  |  law enforcement  |  Nigeria