•Set to conduct DNA tests on 6, 000 IDP kids

By Omeiza Ajayi

Determined to halt the activities of terrorists and other organized criminal gangs in the country, the Federal Government is considering the establishment of a Deoxyribonucleic acid DNA data-bank for use by security and intelligence services in tracking criminals.

Boko Haram

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama stated this Friday in Abuja while briefing security correspondents on the main agenda, scope and possible outcomes of the 2nd Regional Security Summit currently underway in Abuja.

He added that of the nearly two million internally displaced persons in Nigeria, no fewer than 6, 000 children age below five have been severed from their parents.

Consequently, he said building such a DNA data-bank would greatly assist in tracing the parents of the displaced children.

“We have within the country nearly two million internally displaced persons, a real tragedy which we have to address.

“We also have about six thousand children under the age of five who are separated from their parents and homes. We have to look at how to address that human catastrophe.”

“What we are looking at is a mechanism, the use of DNA to try and match those children with parents. The DNA data-bank is really what we are looking at. And we could ultimately extend the data-bank to the whole country because we know that for a lot of countries, it is through their comprehensive DNA data-bank that they use in tracking terrorists and that is also going to help us in intelligence gathering”, he stated.

‘Cattle Herders, not Boko Haram’
Onyeama also dispelled insinuations that the band of rampaging Fulani herdsmen who have held some communities across the country hostage do not belong to the Boko Haram sect.

According to him, there is no concrete evidence linking the two groups.

“Regarding the cattle herders, we always have to be careful not to get carried away in emotions, rumours and so on. There has been absolutely no evidence whatsoever adduced by anybody or found to show that cattle herders are somehow infiltrated by Boko Haram. There activities have also not suggested any linkage with Boko Haram but nevertheless, operatives are mindful of any such links and they have a holistic approach to security”, he said.