Abuja –  The Ministry of Defence has appealed to military officers to support the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) banking project aimed at acquiring information on dead service personnel.

Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, the Minister of Defence, made the call on Tuesday at the launch of Sensitisation and Awareness Campaign  on Deoxyribonucleic Acid Banking Project in Abuja.

Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, the Chief of Defence Staff, urged the Defence Commanders at all levels to sensitise services personnel on the  need to donate their blood samples freely and willingly to the bank.

Petinrin said the sample collection kits had been procured to take over 80,000 blood samples, adding that contract for the construction and  equipping of an ultra-modern DNA Analysis Centre had been awarded.

According to Maina, nation-wide DNA samples collection will commence as soon as the sensitisation of personnel is concluded.

He said the DNA bank was designed and installed by Integrated Technologies and Services International, a USA-based bio-medical research consulting  company. (NAN)