IGP upgrades Nigeria Police Criminal database, enhanced forensic investigation

*Orders comprehensive training for personnel

Etim Ekpimah

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has upgraded and relaunched the Nigeria Police Crime and Incident Database (NPC & IDB) Centre to provide additional aid to police operatives to acquire credible electronic criminal database to support investigations and strategic operational and tactical planning which would, in turn, facilitate easy identification of suspects, crime location, modus operandi, Global Positioning System (GPS) to geolocate crimes, among others.

A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, with Ref No. CZ.5300/FPRD/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.4/117, on Tuesday, said the upgrade of the Nigeria Police Crime and Incident Database was commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2020.

“The upgrade of the Nigeria Police Crime and Incident Database, which was commissioned by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, in 2020, has become imperative in view of the sophistication of criminals, who now apply technology to perpetuate their nefarious activities.

“The database would provide baseline data using ICT and biometrics, stimulate digital crime-fighting techniques, and accessibility to a one-stop data bank for professional profiling of criminal elements and effective crime data management in the Force,” he said.

He added that the IGP has mandated the project consultant to fast-track comprehensive training of dedicated police personnel who would man the systems across Zonal, State, and Divisional Headquarters for the collection, management, and uploading of biometric data, case files, investigation, and trial processes, to the central database at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

He said: “Similarly, the IGP has ordered a full-scale upgrade of all Police Forensic laboratories and digital resource centres across the nation. He equally tasked Forensic Unit officers of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) to effectively apply advanced knowledge acquired at various capacity-building workshops organized in collaboration with foreign agencies and other governmental bodies, ministries, departments and agencies of governments at all levels.

“The Inspector-General of Police emphasized that these developments are in line with his policing agenda to incorporate the application of cutting-edge technology and intelligence-led policing model to operational and investigation functions in consonance with international best practices.

He equally assured Nigerians of the dedication of his administration to bestowing the nation with a people-oriented, endearing and professional police force.”