Cross Border Crimes in West African Sub-Region: Implications for Nigeriaas National Security and External Relations

Despite the efforts of cross-border security agencies like the Nigeria police customs service Immigration services and Nigerian civil Defense etc Nigeria borders have been described as porous allowing all sorts of cross border or transborder criminal activities such as human trafficking smuggling drug trafficking arm robbery money laundry and illicit arms trafficking resulting to proliferation of SALW Thus West Africa s regional superpower Nigeria continues to face serious security challenges due to cross border or transborder criminal activities We argue that one the spate of cross border criminal activities in West Africa undermines Nigeria s national security and two frequent trans-border crimes in West African sub-region impede Nigeria s external relations The focus of this paper therefore is to examine the implications of cross border crimes in West Africa for Nigeria s national security and external relations The study is basically a historical research method relying mainly on secondary sources of data from internet sources official documents and country websites as the method of data collection In other words we made use of qualitative-descriptive analysis as our method of data analysis that is documentary studies of official document and other materials in analyzing the secondary data This paper titled Cross Border Crimes in West African sub-region Implications for Nigeria s National Security and External Relations The paper is basically a historical research method relying mainly on secondary sources of data from internet sources official documents and country websites as the method of data collection We made use of qualitative-descriptive analysis as our method of data analysis that is documentary studies of official document and other materials in analyzing the secondary data The major purpose of embarking on this research is to examine the implications of cross border crimes in West Africa for Nigeria

International Law and the Politics of Diplomatic Recognition of States and Government: Crtical Discuss

A new state is born out from an existing State or an old State which disappeared and comes with a new name or by splitting an existing State into two States If a new state enjoys certain rights privileges and obligations then it must get recognition as a state which is very essential However there are some minimum criteria required before a State is considered to be a State A State must get the De Jure when a state is legally recognized recognition for considering a State as a sovereign State Political thought plays an important role in this decision whether to grant recognition or not For recognition as a State it must enter into relations with the other existing States Recognition is a unilateral act performed by the recognizing State s government The creation of states and their subsequent recognition remain among the most problematic yet important aspects of international law and politics It may be express or implicit The act of recognition does not necessarily require the use of the terms recognition or recognize Recognition is more than a word A State may simply say that it acknowledges regards considers deals with or treats a group in a certain capacity in order to convey its recognition Recognition will be stalled indefinitely and only granted once domestic sovereignty is definitively and irreversibly established It is only under these circumstances that the international legal criteria however ambiguous rather accurately determine secessionist success though recognition s timing will remain uncertain In sum the international politics of recognition are essential in understanding which actors among the scores of potential new members will be accepted into the international community of States To an important extent nascent states are either elevated to State membership or excluded from it by powerful existing members In all the essence of this paper is x-ray among other things the position of law and politics in the diplomatic recognition of states and government in Africa The paper addresses the concept of re-cognitionality to capture the reality and adequate nature of recognition practices in world politics Finally the elements theories and processes of recognitions are reflected in this paper for purposes of clarit

Perceptive Influence of Purchasing Motor Vehicle Insurance Policy from Non-regulated Firms on the Performance of Insurance Industry in Nigeria: A Customer-Based Sentiment Analysis

ABSTRACT: This study examined Customers’ perception on the influence of purchasing motor vehicle insurance policy from non-regulated firms on the performance of insurance industry in Nigeria. Specifically, the influence of purchasing fake insurance policy and non-renewal of expired policy bought from the regulated insurance firms on the performance of insurance industry in Nigeria were accessed. Primary data collected through the use of structured questionnaire from 92 vehicle owners in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, that were selected through convenience sampling technique, was used in the study. Sentiment analysis was applied as the method of data analysis in the study. The result of the analysis indicated a neutral sentiment level of the respondents to both the influence of purchasing fake motor vehicle insurance policy and impact of non-renewal of expired motor vehicle insurance policy bought from regulated insurance firms on the performance of insurance industry in Nigeria. These findings implied a neutral perception of the effect of purchasing motor vehicle insurance policy from non-regulated insurance firms on the performance of insurance industry in Nigeria by the motor vehicle owners. The neutral perception found explains the below expectation performance of the insurance industry in Nigeria due to poor patronage. To enhance public perception in the insurance industry in Nigeria, targeted product features and benefits awareness campaigns as well as payment of genuine claims to deepen public trust in the industry were recommended

A new Environmental, Pollution and Soil Monitoring (EPSm) System

This paper presents the design and development of Environmental, Pollution and Soil Monitoring (EPSm) Station using the four – stage Architecture Design Modelling Development (ADMD) process. The Solar powered EPSm station uses indigenous technology to deliver about Thirteen (13) real time variables, on – board modelling, user-defined functions, remote data transmission to clients’ mobile phones and dedicated website while offering cost effectiveness among others. Data validation and calibration were done using known standard devices. The system was design to lodge data in Comma Separated Value (CSV) format in micro SD card with site coordinates and owner’s information stamped on the data table. The system is design to be highly modular in order to provide the ease of troubleshooting and maintenance if required. The overall features, capabilities and performance of the EPSm station positions it to be a one-stop facility for a wide scenario of environmental variability measurements and succour to research community. Keywords: Automation, Calibration, Modularity, Simulation, Validation

Multidrug Resistance and Plasmid Patterns of Escherichia coli O157 and Other E. coli Isolated from Diarrhoeal Stools and Surface Waters from Some Selected Sources in Zaria, Nigeria

We have assessed the prevalence of Escherichia coli O157 in diarrhoeal patients and surface waters from some selected sources in Zaria (Nigeria), evaluating the antibiotic susceptibility and plasmid profiles of 184 E. coli isolates, obtained from 228 water samples and 112 diarrhoeal stool specimens (collected from children aged <15 years), using standard methods. The detection rate of E. coli O157 in surface waters was 2.2% and its prevalence in children with diarrhoea was 5.4%. The most active antibiotics were gentamicin, chloramphenicol and fluoroquinolones. Seventy-nine (42.9%) of 184 E. coli isolates were resistant to four or more antibiotics. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was higher amongst aquatic isolates than the clinical isolates. Out of 35 MDR isolates (20 of which were O157 strains), 22 (62.9%) harboured plasmids all of which were no less than 2.1 kb in size. Amongst the 20 E. coli O157 strains, only seven (35.0%) contained multiple plasmids. An aquatic O157 isolate containing two plasmids was resistant to seven drugs, including ampicillin, cefuroxime, ciprofloxacin, cotrimoxazole, nalidixic acid, nitrofurantoin and tetracycline. Loss of plasmid correlated with loss of resistance to antibiotics in cured (mutant) strains selected in tetracycline (50 μg/mL)-nutrient agar plates. Our findings revealed that plasmids were prevalent in both the aquatic and clinical isolates, and suggest that the observed MDR is plasmid-mediated. The occurrence of plasmid-mediated multidrug resistant E. coli O157 in surface waters used as sources for drinking, recreation and fresh produce irrigation heightens public health concern

Informing a target product profile for rapid tests to identify HBV-infected pregnant women with high viral loads: a discrete choice experiment with African healthcare workers

BACKGROUND: Elimination of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) requires infant immunoprophylaxis and antiviral prophylaxis for pregnant women with high viral loads. Since real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), a gold standard for assessing antiviral eligibility, is neither accessible nor affordable for women living in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) detecting alternative HBV markers may be needed. To inform future development of the target product profile (TPP) for RDTs to identify highly viremic women, we used a discrete choice experiment (DCE) and elicited preference and trade-off of healthcare workers (HCW) in Africa between the following four attributes of fictional RDTs: price, time-to-result, diagnostic sensitivity, and specificity. METHODS: Through an online questionnaire survey, we asked participants to indicate their preferred test from a set of two RDTs in seven choice tasks with varying levels of the four attributes. We used mixed multinomial logit models to quantify the utility gain or loss generated by each attribute. We attempted to define minimal and optimal criteria for test attributes that can satisfy ≥ 70% and ≥ 90% of HCWs, respectively, as an alternative to RT-PCR. RESULTS: A total of 555 HCWs from 41 African countries participated. Increases in sensitivity and specificity generated significant utility and increases in cost and time-to-result generated significant disutility. The size of the coefficients for the highest attribute levels relative to the reference levels were in the following order: sensitivity (β = 3.749), cost (β = -2.550), specificity (β = 1.134), and time-to-result (β = -0.284). Doctors cared most about test sensitivity, while public health practitioners cared about cost and midwives about time-to-result. For an RDT with 95% specificity, costing 1 US$, and yielding results in 20 min, the minimally acceptable test sensitivity would be 82.5% and the optimally acceptable sensitivity would be 87.5%. CONCLUSIONS: African HCWs would prefer an RDT with the following order of priority: higher sensitivity, lower cost, higher specificity, and shorter time-to-result. The development and optimization of RDTs that can meet the criteria are urgently needed to scale up the prevention of HBV mother-to-child transmission in LMICs

Talking Less during Social Interactions Predicts Enjoyment: A Mobile Sensing Pilot Study

Can we predict which conversations are enjoyable without hearing the words that are spoken? A total of 36 participants used a mobile app, My Social Ties, which collected data about 473 conversations that the participants engaged in as they went about their daily lives. We tested whether conversational properties (conversation length, rate of turn taking, proportion of speaking time) and acoustical properties (volume, pitch) could predict enjoyment of a conversation. Surprisingly, people enjoyed their conversations more when they spoke a smaller proportion of the time. This pilot study demonstrates how conversational properties of social interactions can predict psychologically meaningful outcomes, such as how much a person enjoys the conversation. It also illustrates how mobile phones can provide a window into everyday social experiences and well-being