Superiority Struggles and Inter Agency Feud in Nigeria

Violent conflict is gradually becoming one of the defining characteristics of Nigeria the nation considered by many as the most populous nation of the continent of Africa No part of Nigeria is free from violence of one form or the other The problem of violence in Nigeria has become more worrisome as the security operatives whose duty it is to maintain peace detect and suppress crimes have themselves become engulfed in violent conflicts thereby giving criminals opportunity to unleash terror on the citizenry with impunity Although other unethical practices are held accountable for the clashes superiority struggles arising from their historical past has of late become prominent The implication of this professional missnormal is grievous The repeated violent clashes among these security professionals have consistently alienated them from the public It has further caused loss of confidence and respect of the citizenry The ultimate side effect is lack of civil co-operation that these forces need to succeed in crime control This explains why the nation has not been able to effectively manage insurgency and other security challenges in recent times If Nigeria s peace is pivotal to African and global peace as stressed by some scholars then there is urgent need for the problem of superiority struggles to be addresse

A localized logit model for predicting infant survival outcomes

This study develops a Binary Logistic Model, local to the Maria Goretti hospital Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria for predicting infant birth survival outcomes. Model results shows that the odds of infant survival for normal delivery are 5 times the odds of survival by caesarean delivery, keeping the weight of the infant constant and also that the odds of infant survival increases 3 times for every unit increase in the weight of an infant when the delivery method is kept constant. It was concluded that though, mother’s age which incorporate a maternal characteristic into the model was insignificant in this hospital, there is a chance that it might be significant alongside other maternal characteristics elsewhere. Hence the emphasis on developing localized models of this nature

Kidnapping : A Lucrative Crime in 21st Century Nigeria

The rising incidence and prevalence of kidnapping in Nigeria have continually generated concern in both academic and non-academic circles The phenomenon of kidnapping constitutes a serious threat to life and serves as a major drawback to the nation s drive for sustainable economic growth anchored on direct foreign investment The paper relies on both primary and secondary sources and notes that kidnapping is caused by grinding poverty spiraling unemployment the criminal quest for material acquisition and a weak security system The paper recommends the initiation of pro-poor poverty eradication programs creation of employment opportunities strengthening of the security architecture enactment of appropriate laws and the adoption of capital punishment to stem the tide of kidnapping which has become a lucrative crime in 21st century Nigeri

Power Consciousness of Security Operatives: The Bane of Inter-Agency Feud in Nigeria

One of the greatest security challenges Nigeria has to contend with in the 21st century is the repeated cases of violent inter forces clashes in some cities. Most of these clashes involved the personnel of the Nigerian Army and Nigeria Police. The problem made crime control extremely difficult due to lack of synergy between the security operatives. Consequently, the security situation has become porous in recent times, while the nation has been tagged one of the insecure nation of the world and thus tends to scare investors. Adopting the Group Conflict and Culture and Agency theories as background, the study which utilized the qualitative and quantitative methods of data gathering was conducted in four locations (clusters) in Lagos where the clashes have frequently occurred in the recent past. Although, factors such as economic poverty, neglect, gross indiscipline, ignorance, etc., featured prominently as causes, the study further discovered that the consciousness among officers that enormous power and or authority is conferred on them without any institution charged with oversight functions made the aforementioned factors to manifest. It is therefore recommended that civilian oversight on the police and all policing agencies be intensified if security of lives and property of Nigerians must be achieved

Anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of methanol root extract of Andropogon gayanus Kunth (Poaceae) in rodents

Background: Andropogon gayanus is widely used in traditional medicine for various ailments such as postpartum pain, bronchitis and oedema. Objective: This study evaluated the anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of methanol root extract of A. gayanus in experimental rodents. Methods: Phytochemical screening tests and acute toxicity studies were carried out. Analgesic activity using acetic acid-induced writhing response and hot plate test in mice, formalin-induced pain and carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rats were evaluated at doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg of the extract. Results: Oral median lethal dose was >5000 mg/kg in both mice and rats. The extract significantly (p<0.01) decreased the number of writhing movements at all tested doses. It also significantly (p<0.05) increased the mean reaction times. A significant (p<0.05) decrease in mean pain scores was also observed in both phases of the formalin test at 1000 mg/kg. The extract at 1000 mg/kg significantly (p<0.05) reduced the oedema at the 1st hour, while at the 5th hour, all doses tested significantly reduced the oedema. Conclusion: The methanol root extract of Andropogon gayanus possesses antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities. Keywords: Andropogon gayanus, Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory, Pai

Anxiety, Anger and Depression Amongst Low-Income Earners in Southwestern Uganda During the COVID-19 Total Lockdown

Background: Low-income earners are particularly vulnerable to mental health, consequence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown restrictions, due to a temporary or permanent loss of income and livelihood, coupled with government-enforced measures of social distancing. This study evaluates the mental health status among low-income earners in southwestern Uganda during the first total COVID-19 lockdown in Uganda. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken amongst earners whose income falls below the poverty threshold. Two hundred and fifty-three (n = 253) male and female low-income earners between the ages of 18 and 60 years of age were recruited to the study. Modified generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7), Spielberger's State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (STAXI-2), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) tools as appropriate were used to assess anxiety, anger, and depression respectively among our respondents. Results: Severe anxiety (68.8%) followed by moderate depression (60.5%) and moderate anger (56.9%) were the most common mental health challenges experienced by low-income earners in Bushenyi district. Awareness of mental healthcare increased with the age of respondents in both males and females. A linear relationship was observed with age and depression (r = 0.154, P = 0.014) while positive correlations were observed between anxiety and anger (r = 0.254, P < 0.001); anxiety and depression (r = 0.153, P = 0.015) and anger and depression (r = 0.153, P = 0.015). Conclusion: The study shows the importance of mental health awareness in low resource settings during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Females were identified as persons at risk to mental depression, while anger was highest amongst young males

COVID-19-related mental health burdens: Impact of educational level and relationship status Among low-Income earners of Western Uganda

Objective: The study aimed to investigate the relationship between mental health with the level of education, relationship status, and awareness on mental health among low-income earners in Western Uganda. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out among 253 participants. Anxiety, anger, and depression were assessed using a modified generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7), Spielberger\u27s State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2, and Beck Depression Inventory item tools, respectively. Results: The majority of our respondents were male (n = 150/253, 59.3), had a secondary level of education (104/253, 41.1), and were single (137/253, 54.2). No formal education and primary education (r2 = 47.4% and 6.4%, respectively) had a negative correlation with awareness of mental health care. In addition, no formal education had a positive correlation with anger and depression (r2 = 1.9% and 0.3%, respectively). Singleness in this study had a negative correlation with awareness of mental health care, anger, and depression (r2 = 1.9, 0.8, and 0.3%, respectively), and a positive correlation with anxiety (r2 = 3.9%). Conclusion: It is evident that education and relationship status influenced awareness on mental health care and mental health state among low-income earners in Western Uganda during the first COVID-19 lockdown. Therefore, policymakers should strengthen social transformation through the proper engagement of low-income earners in this COVID-19 era

COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING AND SIMULATION TECHNNIQUE ON UPPER BASIC II STUDENTS' INTEREST, ACHIEVEMENT AND RETENTION IN SOCIAL STUDIES IN KOGI STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT This study investigated the comparative effects of self-directed learning and simulation technique on Upper Basic II students' interest, achievement and retention in Social Studies in Kogi East Education Zone of Kogi State. Twelve research questions and twelve hypotheses were formulated for the study. The study employed quasi-experimental design. The population comprised 18,560 Upper Basic II students from 150 public junior secondary schools for 2018/2019 academic session. The sample consisted of 442 Upper Basic II students from six intact classes using purposive sampling technique. Social Studies Interest Questionnaire (SSIQ) and Social Studies Achievement Test (SSAT) with reliability coefficients of 0.77 and 0.89 respectively were used for data collection. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that there is significant difference in students' mean interest ratings (p=0.00<0.05) and mean achievement scores (p=0.00<0.05) in Social Studies when taught using Self Directed Learning (SDL) strategy. It was also revealed that significant difference exists between the mean retention scores (p = 0.000<0.05) in social Studies when taught using Self Directed Learning (SDL) strategy and simulation technique. Findings further indicated that there is significant difference between the mean interest ratings of male and female students taught Social Studies using Self Directed Learning (SDL) Strategy (p=0.003<0.05) and Simulation technique (p=0.001<0.05) as well as their mean achievement scores (p=0.002<0.05). It was further shown that there is significant interaction effect of methods and gender on students' mean achievement scores (P=<0.05) and mean retention scores (P=0.01<0.05) in Social Studies. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that Social Studies teachers should be encouraged to employ self-directed learning technique in the teaching and learning of Social Studies and that government at national, state and local levels and professional bodies should organize capacity building workshops, seminars, conferences and in-service training on the use and implementation of self-directed learning and simulation techniques in Social Studies.NONESEL

Geochemical evaluation of Campanian-Maastritchian clay-shale sediments of Patti formation, Southern Bida and Mamu Formation, northern Anambra basins

Two basins (Southern Bida and Northern Anambra Basins) were investigated to deduce weathering, paleooxygenation, provenance, depositional environment and tectonic setting, as well as to establish a relationship between the two basins. The obtained high values of calculated weathering indices such as Chemical index of alteration (CIA &gt; 90), Chemical Index of Weathering (CIW &gt; 90), Plagioclase Index of Alteration (PIA &gt; 90) and the Al2O3-(CaO + Na2O)-K2O ternary relationship for the clay – shale sediments from both basins indicate intense weathering in the source area. Important geochemical ratios such as V/Cr, Cu/Zn, Ni/Co, (Cu+Mo)/Zn, revealed predominantly oxic conditions for the clay – shale sediments from both basins, although, a more reducing or an anoxic condition cannot be ruled out for the clay – shale sediments from the Southern Bida basin due to high ratios of U/Th (1.93-5.67) and Cu/Zn (0.19-5.00). In addition, the Sr/Ba ratios (0.16–3.50) for the clay-shales from the Southern Bida basin indicated an alternated marine and continental paleo-depositional settings and only continental setting (Sr/Ba ratios = 0.22 – 0.50) for the Northern Anambra basin. The Th/Sc, La/Sc, Th/Co and the LREE/HREE ratios showed a derivation of the shale and clay deposits from similar felsic-rich source rock while the log of (K2O/Na2O) vs SiO2, revealed a Passive Margin tectonic setting for the two Basins. There is insignificant differences between the geochemical classifications, weathering, source rock/provenance and tectonic settings of clay-shale sediments of both sedimentary basins, however, there exist slight disparity in their salinity conditions and redox settings. Keywords: Geochemistry, Clay-shale, Provenance, Tectonic Setting, Northern Anambra and Southern Bida Basin