Date: 2021-08-03

The Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Examiners of Nigeria (CIFCFEN) has concluded plans to establish the Nigerian College of Forensics and Fraud Examiners.

The College, which will be the first of its kind in Africa, will cater to the yearnings and aspirations of professionals who want specialist knowledge in fraud examination and diverse areas of forensics.

This was disclosed by CIFCFEN President/Chairman of Council, Dr. Iliyasu Gashinbaki at the induction of the first set of direct members into the Institute in Abuja.

According to him, the College will be a regional model, which is expected to be a centre of excellence for forensics and fraud examination in the entire continent.

"The implementation committee for the establishment of the college has submitted its report and we are now in the implementation stage. Very soon, the college will be responsible for anchoring all our activities that have to do with capacity building, training and all related professional development within the forensics and fraud examination space, " he said.

Expounding on the structure of the proposed College, the chairman, Professional Training and Standards of the Institute, Professor Michael Ayeni said it will have four distinct Colleges.

"These are: College of Humanities, College of Forensic Sciences, College of Fraud Examination and College of Forensic Accounting. The College of Humanities will cater for other professional courses such as forensic etymology, forensic anthropology, forensic engineering, forensic dentistry, and forensic medicine," he explained.

The first direct induction of members by the Institute featured 25 eminent Nigerians drawn from security services, public service and corporate organizations. The direct induction is targeted at highly experienced senior members either in public service or in private sector that already have the residual knowledge and the minimum basic requirements in terms of experience and exposure. "So the idea is to prepare them further, retrain them, upscale their skills so that they become truly and proper professional forensic accountants," explained Gashinbaki.

Those inducted include: Fatima Muhammadu Buhari, Major General S. A. Awosanya (Rtd), Air Commodore Dangaji Zakari Lawan, Col. Adamu Ibrahim Isah, Accountant-General of Kwara State, Dr. Ismail Kayode Waheed, Cletus Okechukwu Odoh and Dr. James Neminebor. Others are: Alhaji Malik Anas, Henry Osita Umezinnwa, Rt. Hon. Musa Ahmed Mohammed and Dr. Sunday Olaoye among others.