TheCable

The Lagos state government has completed the construction of the Lagos State DNA Forensics centre (LSDFC), the first-ever high-powered DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) forensic laboratory in Nigeria.

Habib Aruna, chief press secretary to Akinwunmi Ambode, the state governor, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

According to the statement seen by TheCable, last year, Ambode approved the construction of the laboratory as part of the criminal justice sector reforms designed to solve crime through technology and fulfill an unmet need for DNA profiling, a unique forensic technique that is used globally.

Speaking at a press briefing at Alausa, Ikeja to announce activities lined up by the state government to commemorate the 2017 United Nations international day of peace, Adeniji Kazeem, the state’s attorney general and commissioner for justice, said skeletal work had already commenced in the LSDFC.

Kazeem, who was represented by Funlola Odunlami, Lagos state solicitor general and permanent secretary, ministry of justice, added that it would be formally inaugurated in coming weeks.

“The DNA forensic centre just opened this month. We are yet to commission it but it has been opened and it is a DNA crime forensic lab and at the same time, it is going to deal with other DNA matters like paternity issue. What we are doing now is skeletal work which we started this month,” Kazeem said.

“The Lagos state government recognises the fact that the state is the commercial nerve centre of the sub-Saharan Africa where all races converge for various purposes such as business, hospitality, tourism among others, and has put in place mechanisms that will foster development and promote economic activities in the state by instituting agencies that will attend to matters relating to Land Grabbers, Special Task Force, donation of police vehicles for security, introduction of DNA forensic laboratory to archive blood samples of criminals, among others.

“All these actions are geared toward enhancing peace in Lagos state.”