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LAGOS – On Saturday, November 23, 2024, the master’s students of Criminology and Security Studies domiciled in the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Lagos State University held its maiden practical series on forensic entomology.
The practical series titled “Forensic Entomology: Process, Importance and Uses” took place at the Faculty of Social Sciences Psychology Laboratory, main campus, Ojo, Lagos.
The moderator, a professor of Criminology, Professor Adedeji Oyenuga, in his opening remarks and presentation, established that forensic science is the practical component of criminal investigation which employs three scientific T’s which are Theory, Technology and Technician.
According to him, forensic science is basically divided into two, namely pathology and criminalistics.
Historically, the place of a pathologist in criminal investigation started from the role of a coroner to a medical examiner and toxicologist. Criminalistics, on the other hand, deal with physical evidence and has institutional presence in the Police Crime Laboratory.
Speaking further, Professor Oyenuga accentuated that forensic science helps in linking suspect, crime, and evidence in order to unravel crime and submit substantial evidence for the processing of the crime.
It also plays three fundamental roles, which include collection and preservation of evidence, analysis of evidence using scientific theory, technology, trained technicians, and expert witnessing in the courtroom.
The practical series entailed a crime scene examination at the Lagos State University Zoological Garden.
This examination was conducted by a Forensic Entomology Expert of Lagos State University, Dr Azeezat Alafia, and a Visiting Scholar from South Africa, Dr Adeyemi Adetimehin, using a practical experiment of two (2) dead pigs – one shot dead and the other by natural death – that were already in a state of decomposition.
A guild of insects such as maggots, blow flies, and beetles that had been attracted to the carcasses were carefully extracted for further analysis to estimate the postmortem interval.
In attendance at the practical series programme were: the Sub-Dean, Postgraduate School, Professor Olanrewaju Ajiboye; Head, Department of Sociology, Dr Oluranti Samuel; Professor Jubril Jawando; Dr. Kafayat Ajelara from the Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology; and other members of staff in the Department of Sociology.
