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•Experts advocate adoption of science, technology to crush fraud, cybercrime, others
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has disclosed that thousands of criminal cases are stalled annually due to forensic gaps in the country.
To this end, experts have called for the adoption of science and technology to tackle the rising wave of cybercrime, financial fraud, digital deception, identity theft, transnational organised crime among others.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary and the Director of the Citizens’ Mediation Bureau in the Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Adebusola Olarewaju, stated this at the 2026 Forensic Summit organised by the International Academy of Forensics in collaboration with The Guardian Newspapers in Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu said that every year, thousands of criminal cases in Nigeria stall, not for want of witnesses, not for want of suspects, but for want of evidence that can withstand scrutiny in a Court of law.
“The gap between the investigators and what the prosecutors can prove in many cases is a forensic gap. Closing that gap is precisely why this summit matters. Lagos is not a passive observer of that challenge.
“As Nigeria’s commercial capital, a city of over 22 million people, home to the largest concentration of financial institutions, technology companies and international business activities on the continent, we live at the intersection of ambition and vulnerabilities. The crimes that threaten this city are increasingly sophisticated. Digital fraud, financial manipulation, identity theft, and organised crime that exploits the anonymity of cyberspace.
“Our response is equally sophisticated. That conviction has guided deliberate investments by this administration in the infrastructure of justice. In the year 2017, Lagos commissioned the first DNA and Forensic Centre of its kind in West Africa,” he said.
However, he said that a state-of-the-art crime laboratory accredited to ISO-IC 7025 standards, organised under the Lagos Division of Justice and built to bring scientific rigour to criminal investigations, saying that the facility has since supported investigations spanning homicide, sexual offences, and human remains identification. Cases that in an earlier era might never have been resolved.
“Forensic science must meet criminals where they operate. It is for this reason that I regard the theme of this summit, Forensic Investigation and Criminal Interpreters, strengthening the administration of justice in the age of technological advancement, not as an abstract but a living proposition, but as a life-and-questioning challenge that Lagos confronts daily.
“The questions this summit will examine are on artificial intelligence changes, the nature of AI, how digital forensics scales to the complexity of the modern financial climate, and how we maintain financial integrity in an era of deepfakes and manipulated data; these are questions with direct possibilities for the quality of justice delivered in our courts,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Olanrewaju Alogba, who was also represented by Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye, said that technology has made crime more sophisticated. Streets leveled at sightings and snatching of roads and road vehicles are low-level crimes. But technology has exacerbated criminology. According to him, technology must also be used to tackle the menace of criminality. Investigations must be forensic-driven, science-led and cyber, intelligence and data analytics must be the watchword.
Meanwhile, Emeritus Professor Dele Olowokudejo said: “We are united by one common purpose, to explore innovative solutions that will strengthen justice systems, enhance adaptability, combat crime, and improve public trust in these divisions amid unprecedented technological transformation. This year’s summit theme, Forensic Investigation and Criminal Intelligence, strengthening the administration of justice in the age of technological advancement, could not have been timed better,” he said.
According to him, around the world, technology has transformed how crimes are committed, investigated, and prosecuted.
He explained that cybercrime, financial fraud, digital deception, identity theft, transnational organised crime, and sophisticated criminal networks continue to challenge conventional investigative methods.
“Yet the same technological advancements that create new threats also provide powerful tools for justice, including digital forensics, artificial intelligence, data analysis, biometric identification, cyber intelligence, and advanced investigative methodologies. This summit, therefore, serves as a strategic platform for knowledge exchange, professional collaboration, policy dialogue, and practical solutions.
“Let us explore new perspectives. And also challenge ourselves to develop solutions that may advance justice, strengthen the rule of law, and promote safer societies. History reminds us that justice is focused where it is supported by knowledge.
“Integrity, innovation, and courageous leadership. The future of forensic investigation and criminal intelligence depends upon professionals who are prepared not only to adapt, to change, but to lead it. Together, we can help build systems that are more transparent, accountable, effective, and resilient in the face of evolving criminal threats,” he said.
