In a powerful Christmas message, the Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria (CIFCFIN) has issued a clarion call to its members. The institute urges forensic practitioners to stand as unwavering pillars for truth, justice, and the restoration of integrity across the nation.
A Call to Action in a Season of Reflection
The message, signed by the institute's Founder and Chairman of its Governing Council, Dr. Iliyasu Gashinbaki, was released on 30 December 2025. It draws a parallel between the symbolism of Christmas—salvation, light, and truth—and the critical role of forensic experts. Gashinbaki charged practitioners to recommit to their core duties with renewed vigour.
He emphasised that forensic professionals must be the unflinching authenticators against forgery, the guardians of due process who fight clandestine alterations, and the skilled followers of digital and financial trails that expose complex fraud schemes. According to Gashinbaki, the meticulous commitment applied in examining a fingerprint or tracing a digital footprint is precisely what Nigeria needs from its "practitioners of forensic light."
Confronting Nigeria's Sobering Realities
The CIFCFIN President acknowledged that the 2025 celebrations are tempered by significant national challenges. He pointedly addressed several issues eroding public trust.
"We witness the shadow of certificate forgery obscuring the foundations of merit and integrity in our public institutions," Gashinbaki stated. He also highlighted the unsettling allegations of altering duly passed laws before official gazetting, calling it a manipulation that strikes at the heart of democracy and the rule of law. Furthermore, he cited sophisticated contract frauds that drain the nation's commonwealth.
"Yet, it is precisely into this landscape that our expertise is not just relevant, but critical," he asserted, framing the current climate as the ideal arena for forensic skills to prove indispensable.
Forensic Tools as Instruments of Liberation
Dr. Gashinbaki reminded forensic professionals of the high expectations placed upon them by the Nigerian people. He described their work as the meticulous pursuit of factual reality, whether in laboratories, field investigations, or courtrooms.
He reframed the technical tools of the trade—from digital forensics and questioned document examination to forensic accounting—as more than mere instruments. "They are modern-day proclamations of a timeless principle: the truth shall set you free," Gashinbaki declared.
Concluding the message, he enjoined both forensic practitioners and the general public to enjoy the season of peace and goodwill. He offered a prayer that "the peace of Christmas, which passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds." The statement serves as both a seasonal greeting and a potent reminder of the ethical burden and societal importance of the forensic profession in Nigeria's current socio-political environment.
