Effect of Forensic Accounting Techniques in Detection of Fraud in Public Polytechnics in Oyo State, Nigeria

This study investigated the roles of forensic accounting techniques in detection of fraud in public polytechnics in Oyo state, Nigeria. Survey research design was adopted for this study, which was in the form of a well-structured closed ended questionnaire. 50 staff of the bursary unit of each of the four (4) public polytechnics in Oyo state, Nigeria were selected using purposive sampling techniques to make up the 200 respondents that served as the population for the study. These tertiary institutions include: The Polytechnic Ibadan, Ibadan, The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki, Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa, and The Oyo state College of Agriculture and Technology, Oyo. Data was obtained from both primary and secondary sources and analysed using simple percentage and T – test to test the hypothesis. Findings revealed that the knowledge of forensic accounting has not been introduced in the accounting for funds being generated in the Oyo state education sector and most tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The study concluded that various forensic accounting techniques should be employed to detect, prevent and deter fraud in public polytechnics in Oyo state. The study recommended that there is the need to focus on training and updating the skills of the internal control and audit staff in forensic accounting techniques, for their effective services deliveries; governments at all levels should have the political will to prosecute offenders and institutionalize policies and employ the application of forensic accounting techniques.