The Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria (CIFCFIN) has officially admitted the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) as institutional representatives into its council. This development is grounded in the institute's broad statutory mandate and the recognition that forensic science is inherently multidisciplinary, encompassing over 127 professional and knowledge domains globally.
Strategic Collaboration Against Cybercrimes and Engineering Fraud
In a statement, CIFCFIN's Registrar and Chief Executive, Dr Isa Salifu, emphasized the significance of this move. He noted that the partnership with CPN will help address cybercrimes and the loss of billions of Naira by individuals and organizations, tackle the issue of quacks in the digital space, and protect national digital infrastructures and payment gateways such as banks and financial institutions. Meanwhile, the collaboration with COREN is expected to provide solutions to engineering fraud and failures, including the use of low-quality materials, building collapses, and other related problems.
Commitment to Multisectoral Governance
According to Dr Salifu, the onboarding of CPN and COREN as integral parts of the institute's policy-making strategy reaffirms CIFCFIN's commitment to advancing forensic science, fraud investigation, cybersecurity, and digital intelligence across Nigeria through an inclusive, multisectoral governance framework. He described this strategic action as giving practical effect to Section 6 of the CIFCFIN Establishment Act 2022, which empowers the Institute to establish Boards of Diplomates and other professional structures aimed at ensuring comprehensive coverage of forensic knowledge across all domain areas.
Dr Salifu further explained that the inclusion of representatives from key professional institutions aligns with the spirit and intent of the CIFCFIN Establishment Act by promoting inclusivity, professional integration, and cross-sector collaboration in forensic development. This move is expected to strengthen the institute's capacity to combat fraud and enhance forensic practices nationwide.
