EFFECT OF FORENSIC ACCOUNTING TECHNIQUE ON FRAUD IN NIGERIAN BANKS (A STUDY OF ACCESS BANK PLC, OKPARA AVENUE, ENUGU)

The researcher was poised to ascertain the possible ways of reducing financial fraud in Nigerian banks via Forensic Accounting. The objective of the study was to review the extent of application of forensic accounting techniques and skills in Nigeria financial Institution in prevention and detection of white color crimes. The population variable were 110 staff of Access Bank in Enugu with a sample size of 86. Also for liker types of z-test was used to analyze the hypothesis formulated. Among the findings was that forensic accounting enhances investigation of fraud in Nigerian Bank, we thus, concluded that forensic accounting remain a panacea in fraud detection and prevention recommended that the service of a professional forensic accountants is highly needed owing to their efficiency in detection of fraud and provision of litigations support over series of financial fraud in Nigeria court.   CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Background of the Study Going by the growing spate of corporate scandals and collapse of corporate organizations, one has to argue the relevance and the credibility - building clause of the true and fain view opinion of the statutory audition. Modern organized financial crimes have appeared. Corruption and other financial and economic crimes are the bank of Nigeria development efforts (EFCC 2004) with an upsurge in financial accounting fraud in the current economic scenario experienced, financial fraud has become an emerging topic of great importance for academic, research and industries. Fraud in accounting has been discoursed along two main dimensions fraudulent financial reporting and misappropriation of firms resources. Fraudulent financial reporting refers to deliberate and calculated activities and attempts to misrepresent transaction in the financial statement in order to dative or take advantage. Accounting to the general Accounting office (GAO) 1996. There is now a strong emphasis on fraud prevention and detection during statutory audits. Infact, the United States and international of auditors to consider the risk of fraud while conducting audits of financial statements. There is even a call for stronger forensic skills in those who perform these audits this has been collaborated by Enyi (2009) who submits that all normal statutory audits should contain some elements of forensic ending as the evidence of fraudulent activities can be easily discovered through evaluation of the adequacy and compliance of the internal control mechanism is made. Dhar and Sarker (2010) said Forensic accounting is the application of accounting concepts and techniques to legal problems. It demands reporting where fraud, bribery or embezzlements is established and the reports is considered as evidence in the court of law or in administrative proceedings. It is concerned with the use of accounting discipline to help determine issue of facts in business litigation. It touched almost all discipline especially, Auditing investigation laws and psychology centre for forensic studies (2006) reports in Nigeria state that if well applied, forensic accounting could be used to reverse the leakages that cause cooperate failures this is because of the facts that forensic accounting is a techniques that encapsulates accounting, auditing, and investigative skills to address issues relating to financial fraud.