Forensic Investigation of Road Traffic Accident Scenes in Borno State: Challenges and Prospects

Road traffic accidents constitute a major source of preventable mortality in Nigeria, yet the forensic investigation of accident scenes remains underdeveloped in many northern states. This study examines the processes and challenges associated with the forensic investigation of road traffic accident scenes in Borno State, North East Nigeria. A descriptive design was used, combining interviews with fifteen officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and police forensic unit, review of twenty accident investigation reports from 2021 to 2024, and direct observation of two post-accident scene reconstructions. The study assesses the quality of physical evidence collection, the use of skid mark analysis and vehicular damage assessment, and the integration of forensic findings into insurance and legal proceedings. Results indicate that evidence collection is largely unstructured, with investigators relying on photographic documentation without systematic measurement or reconstruction protocols. Forensic evidence is rarely used in civil litigation arising from accidents, partly due to limited awareness among legal practitioners in the region. The study identifies the absence of trained accident reconstruction specialists and inadequate equipment as primary constraints. Recommendations include the procurement of accident reconstruction software tools for FRSC offices in the North East and the development of inter-agency forensic training programmes. Keywords: road traffic accident, forensic investigation, Borno State, accident reconstruction, FRSC.