Criminology Dept. records breakthrough in fingerprint identification
In a rare feat in forensic research, which stands the University of Ilorin at par with its peers across the world, the Department of Criminology and Security Studies has recorded a breakthrough in an experiment, which successfully uncovered fingerprints of robbers.
Following a burglary at the residence of a University staff member, a forensic investigation team from the Department of Criminology and Security Studies initiated an investigation, leading to the identification of the suspects’ fingerprints eight weeks after the crime was committed.
In a chat with UNILORIN BULLETIN in his office last Monday (February 26, 2024), the Head of the Department, Prof. Ali Arazim Abdullahi, said that the forensic investigation team, which comprised some staff and selected 300 Level students of the Department, carried out the investigation.
Abdullahi, a Professor of Sociology, revealed that despite the lack of necessary facilities to carry out the investigation, the forensic team devised a seamless and successful traditional method on account of its expertise.
The don, therefore, called for closer collaboration with the various security agencies, saying, “The breakthrough underscores the importance of town and gown collaboration, he said that the University of Ilorin needed to partner with the security agencies in the country.
He said, “I feel that we can learn one or two things from the security agencies, and they also need to learn a lot from us. We need to collaborate more on matters like this to ensure that our society is crime- free”.
The Head of Department encouraged members of staff who encounter similar situations to approach the Department for assistance, saying that the forensic team, which is led by Dr Adedeji Oyenuga, a sabbatical staff at the Department, is ever ready to swing into action.
Speaking on the value added to the Department by the forensic team lead, Prof. Abdullahi said, “Dr Oyenuga, being a sabbatical staff, has brought valuable contributions to our Department. In fact, his actions and contributions ever since he came have spoken volume of the significance of the sabbatical programme, because, he provided us with the opportunity to embark on innovative endeavours that wouldn’t have been possible without the sabbatical ”.
Also speaking with the UNILORIN BULLETIN, the leader of the forensic investigation team, Dr Oyenuga, posited that the next step in the investigation process is for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) or the Police to provide us with the necessary support and approach the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to obtain information on the fingerprints extracted from the crime scene.
Dr Oyenuga said that despite the absence of devices like a fumed chamber and other advanced equipment typically found in developed countries, the team improvised with unconventional and artificial methods by utilizing local materials to achieve the seamless and convincing results from the crime scene exhibits.
The don said that the process is scientific and reliable because it can be repeated by anyone who is trained. He added that his team was very meticulous in managing the crime scene, and the laboratory environment.
He stressed the significance of wearing gloves to prevent exhibit tampering, noting that carrying out foresic investigation at a crime scene without gloves may raise suspicion.
Commenting on the involvement of his students, Dr Oyenuga, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Digout Consult, a registered private investigation firm, confirmed that the students played a pivotal role in the entire process, as they are expected to leverage their experience to replicate similar processes continously, from now on. He said that with improved resources at their disposal, they are ‘‘likely to excel even more than we did”.
Speaking on the development, a member of the team, Mr Obasanjo Balogun revealed that he had doubts initially before he took a keen interest in the exercise. According to him, “watching the fingerprints revealed in the laboratory was a wonderful experience”.
The lecturer, however, highlighted the need for a fume chamber and other equipment in the laboratory to work on certain evidences that currently cannot be utilised due to the lack of standard equipment in the laboratory.
Another lecturer at the Department, Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi Kayode, commended the leadership of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, for providing the Department with equipment during the last accreditation exercise, noting that the successful experiment justifies further investment in the Department of Criminology and Security Studies.
In his reaction, the victim, who sought anonymity, said ” the Department of Criminology, University of Ilorin, has emerged as a silver lining in a very dark cloud of the saga and a guide to the light at the end of the pitch-dark tunnel of helplessness that my family and I had been thrown into by the poor security architecture of Nigeria”.
He added that, the University of Ilorin, like any University worth its salt, has shown that it exists not to fulfill the proverbial academic exercise, but to solve the challenges faced by the individual human, and the problems facing humanity as a collective.
He therefore called on the University of Ilorin’s management to support the Department of Criminology, with a better equipped forensic laboratory, saying, this will further project the university as being envisioned by the administration of Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN.
On their part, the 300 level students who joined in the forensic analysis namely Miss Adedolapo Adewuyi, Mr Adeniyi Bodunrin and Mr Abdulhakeem Fagbemi ,shared their joy in a chat with the UNILORIN BULLETIN.
Miss Adewuyi said, “The experience created a magical feeling in me during the fingerprint extraction and being part of the team make me believe I have reached a new level of accomplishment.”
On his part, Mr Adeniyi said, “I found the experience both fantastic and surprising, I was intrigued by the confidence displayed by Dr Oyenuga.”
Mr Fagbemi said that “I considered the experience a miracle, akin to witnessing television scenes come to life. I felt like they were doing work of the Nigerian police.”