The Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professionals of Nigeria (CIFIPN) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of priority assent the CIFIPN Bill passed by both chambers of the National Assembly into law.
Protem President of the institute, Dr. Enape Victoria Ayishetu, at the end of the organisation’s meeting Friday in Abuja, told newsmen that, the President’s signing the bill, passed on 23 May into law would be in the interest of the nation as it would boost his anti-corruption efforts.
She also urged Nigerians to support the cause of entrenching an institutionalized framework that was targeted at fighting corruption and Cybercrimes at its conception stage in the interest of national development.
She commended the leadership of 8th National Assembly under the leadership of Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara for being transparent in the process of the passage of the Bill.
She said posterity would remember them for the credible work they have done for the country and the citizens.
“Landscape for forensic and Investigative professionals around many nations of the world is changing in response to the challenge of technology-enabled fraud. Nigerian law appears almost silent on these phenomena. The resultant effect is that there is presently a dearth of forensic and investigative professionals in Nigeria to offer professional support in the mining of evidence needed for the prosecution of fraudsters.
“Nigeria currently spends huge scarce foreign exchange to retain the services of expatriate forensic professionals to carry out assignments that are better performed by locally trained manpower. Apart from the huge revenue lost by the public and private organisations due to lack of effective anti-fraud mechanisms, this development has profound security implication on the nation and must be reversed through the signing into law the Chartered Institute Forensic and investigative Professionals of Nigeria Bill.
“The fight against fraud corruption and cybercrimes are real and the institute is ready and prepared to assist the Nigerian government towards the realization of that goal. It is only corrupt persons in Nigeria that will not like the establishment of the anti-fraud body like CIFIPN in Nigeria because they are comfortable in the evil act for so long while others are languishing in perpetual poverty as a result of the empty treasury,” she said.
Ayishetu said the institute is anti-fraud organisation saddled with the responsibilities of providing skills for relevant professionals on the use of science and technology or prevention, detection and investigation of fraud, corruption and cybercrimes, and to put in place some sophisticated measures to prevent future occurrence and to stop illicit financial flows in the country.
