The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said it would provide modern evidence storage facility at the Criminal Investigation Department of the Police Command in Gombe State.
Mr Tom Parker, Head, Counter-Terrorism Unit of UNODC, stated this in Gombe on Tuesday at the state police command.
He said the project was funded by the United States Department of States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
Parker said the intervention was as a result of the importance of evidence in effective investigation as well as the need to ensure justice.
He said the storage facility would augment the command’s capability in the collection and forensic exploitation of physical evidence.
“Our purpose here today is to open an evidence storage facility.
“This is important because collection of evidence is the bedrock of effective criminal investigation.
“When we can store that evidence and send it off for forensic laboratories where we can recover fingerprints, blood types and things like that.
“But none of that is possible unless you could store the evidence you have collected from crime scenes and then come back and find it and present it in court,” he said.
On his part, Mr Walter Quintanilla, Deputy Director International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL), United States Department of State, US Embassy, Abuja, said the support was part of effort to support investigation.
Quintanilla said the event underscored his organisation’s commitment to excellence in the field of law enforcement.
“We are entirely dedicated to combating trafficking and enhancing global enforcement cooperation.
“The bureau works tirelessly alongside domestic and international law enforcement agencies, providing them with the tools, training and support needed to fight crime effectively,” he said.
According to him, through the support, the bureau hopes to strengthen the legal frameworks and support developmental and professional law enforcement capacities.
He stated that evidence collection and storage stood as the cornerstone of a judicial system that United States passed across the world, including Nigeria in promoting the essence of the rule of law.
“Proper evidence management is crucial.
“It ensures that justice is served fairly and accurately, protecting the rights of individuals while holding offenders accountable.
“The refurbishment of this evidence storage facility is a reaffirmation of the dedication to preserving the integrity of evidence.
“The enhancement of capabilities ensures that every piece of evidence is meticulously catalogued and accessible, maintaining its value and showing that it can effectively contribute to the proceed of justice,” he said.
According to him, in a world where the details can determine the outcome of the case, the importance of this evidence storage cannot be overstated in the pursuit of justice.
“This initiative serves as a beacon of international cooperation between the United States and Nigeria and I want to thank our partners for helping to make this happen,” he said.
On his part, Commissioner of police in the state, Mr Hayatu Usman, commended the UN, US and the Nigeria Police for the partnership, which he said would ensure thorough prosecution of cases.
Usman pledged to ensure that the command maintained the facility to serve the purpose for which it was provided. (NAN)
