Pharmaceutica Analytica Acta

The profiling of repentant Boko Haram members in Borno state Nigeria using DNA fingerprinting

Joint Event on 21^st Global Conference on Pharmacogenomics, Biomarkers & Forensic Chemistry & 21^st International Conference on Pharmaceutical & Bio-Inorganic Chemistry

October 31- November 01 | San Francisco, USA

Vantsawa Philip Anthony

Nigerian Defence Academy, Nigeria

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Pharm Anal Acta

Abstract:

With the renewed vigor and determination in the counter-insurgency operation by the Nigerian military to end the Boko Haram activities, many of their members are surrendering on daily basis. Before releasing them from the prison to be rehabilitated and integrated into the society, they undergo de-radicalization. Despite these efforts by the military, there are still cases of bombings of soft targets by these militants. It is difficult ascertaining those responsible for the bombings. It could be the unrepentant group or some recalcitrant members of the group that was earlier reintegrated to the society. This paper examined the possibility of proper record keeping of these repentant militant using DNA fingerprinting. In the event of a bomb explosion the specimen of the remnants from the bomb site can easily be screened and match with the existing database to ascertain if the culprit was once a Boko Haram member. DNA fingerprinting is a laboratory technique used to establish a link between biological evidence and a suspect in a criminal investigation in which the DNA sample taken from a crime scene is compared with a DNA sample from a suspect. Because nearly every cell in a person???s body contains the same complete set of DNA, the DNA isolated from the dried blood, bone, nail or hair found at the suicide bombing scene can be compared to a DNA sample earlier collected from those repentant Boko Haram members which can help to ascertain who the criminal is.

Biography :

Vantsawa Philip Anthony is an animal physiologist with a specialty in animal nutrition. His research interest is in animal biotechnology. He has attended local and international workshops on biotechnology. Currently teaching biotechnology courses at postgraduate level.

E-mail: pavantsawa@nda.edu.ng