Judiciary
The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, on Tuesday called for criminal investigations in Nigeria to become increasingly science-driven through forensic evidence, cyber intelligence and data analytics.
Alogba made the call in a keynote address titled, “The Administration of Justice in Nation-Building.”
The address was delivered on his behalf by Justice Olutoyin Ipaye at the 2026 Global Forensics Summit in Lagos.
The summit was organised by the International Academy of Forensics in collaboration with The Guardian Newspaper Nigeria.
Its theme was “Forensic Investigation and Criminal Intelligence: Strengthening the Administration of Justice in the Age of Technological Advancement.”
According to Alogba, justice remains the bedrock of sustainable national development.
He said no nation could achieve lasting peace, economic prosperity or democratic stability without a justice system that enjoyed public confidence.
The chief judge said technology had significantly transformed criminal activities, making conventional investigative methods insufficient.
Alogba identified six major ways the justice system contributed to nation-building.
They included upholding the rule of law, protecting fundamental rights, promoting peace and social stability, combating crime and corruption, encouraging investment and strengthening democratic institutions.
He, however, acknowledged persistent challenges confronting Nigeria’s justice system.
These included delays in court proceedings, inadequate funding, corruption and limited public awareness of legal rights.
Alogba called for stronger collaboration among judges, lawyers, investigators, policymakers and forensic experts.
He said such collaboration would ensure that justice remained accessible, impartial, efficient and transparent.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mrs Aderinsola Olanrewaju, represented Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the summit.
Sanwo-Olu said government was making strategic investments in forensic science and digital security.
He said the investments were aimed at bridging the evidence gap hampering the prosecution of criminal cases.
He said thousands of criminal cases failed to reach successful conclusions because investigators often lacked credible and scientifically verifiable evidence.
“The gap between what investigators uncover and what prosecutors can prove is the forensic gap.
“Closing that gap is precisely why this summit matters,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu recalled that Lagos established West Africa’s first DNA and Forensic Centre in 2017.
He added that the second phase of the project, covering toxicology and forensic chemistry, was underway.
He also said Lagos became the first sub-national government in Nigeria to establish a fully operational cybersecurity operations centre.
According to him, the centre enable real-time monitoring and response to cyber threats.
Also speaking, a retired judge and legal scholar, Prof. Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye, stressed the need for forensic investigations to operate within constitutional safeguards and legal frameworks.
He said this was necessary to support effective administration of justice and protect citizens’ rights. (NAN)
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Tags: Data driven investigations Forensics Summit