Fingerprint Pattern of Fulani and Higgi ethnic groups in Michika LGA, Adamawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Developing countries experience surge of insurgency, banditry, cybercrime and other related violence. Criminals often go undetected because of poor forensic capabilities in human detection. Fingerprint features have been very effective in establishment of identity. The aim of this study was to determine fingerprint pattern of Fulani and Higgi ethnic groups of Michika, Adamawa State, Nigeria. A total of 5020 valid fingerprints patterns were captured using live fingerprint scanner. These included; 1230 Fulani male; 1250 Fulani female; 1280 Higgi male; 1260 Higgi female. SPSS version 26.0 statistical software was used for statistical analysis and P < 0.05 was set as a level of significance. Descriptive statistics were employed to determine the frequency of loops whorls and arches in all the fingers of both hands, both sexes and both ethnic groups. Loops were the most frequent pattern in all the observations followed by whorls, and then arches. However, there were relative differences in the percentage proportion across the digits, between left and right, male and female and Fulani and Higgi. The frequency of loop and whorl were equal in right ring (48.8 %) of Fulani male and right thumb (47.7 %) of Higgi male. The frequency of loop was less than that of whorl in left thumb (Loop: 39.8 %; Whorl: 48.8 %) and right thumb (Loop: 43.9 %; Whorl: 48.8 %) of Fulani male. Loops were more frequent in little fingers (85.1 %) followed by middle fingers (73.4 %) and least in thumbs (50.8 %) of left male Higgi; arches more frequent in left hand than right (11.4 % and 7.3 % in Fulani male thumbs respectively). These biological variations might suggest preferential selection of finger as potential predictors of other biological features such as blood group.