Journal articles on the topic 'East-Central State (Nigeria)'

The relationship between Fulani herdsmen and farmers has in recent years become hot-tempered motivated by competitive control of land resources, particularly in central and north-east Nigeria. In Taraba State, the ongoing nomadic migration pattern from the Sahel in quest of pastures has led to violent confrontation between Fulani herdsmen and farming indigenous natives. Using a descriptive approach consisting of documented evidence, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions, the analysis revealed that conflicts between Fulani herdsmen and indigenous native farmers have culminated in population displacement and destruction of life and property in numerous rural enclaves in Taraba State. Despite the consequences of the conflicts, the Taraba State government was unable to act proactively because of the centralization of command over Nigerian security agencies. Accordingly, the study suggests decentralization of security agencies in Nigeria, especially the police, as the way forward for effective security governance in Nigeria.

As a result of the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In late February 2020, the Nigerian government took various measures to combat the plague. In Nigeria the lockdown was started in Lagos, Ogun State and Abuja the capital territory (1, 2). Some other states across the country have adopted various restrictive measures. However other states of North West, North Central and North East follow suit to contain the spread of COVID-19 in their state meanwhile this bring about bridge of security in those states. The main purpose of lockdown was to contain the spread of novel COVID-19 (3). However this resulted to an increase in banditry and Boko-haram attack in northern part of Nigeria.

Patterns in fingers, palms, and soles; a term refers to as ‘dermatoglyphics’, are now been studied for ethno-historic facts and ancestry tracing. However, there is paucity of information on Esan people dermatoglyphics. Hence, this study investigates the variations in finger dermatoglyphics among Esan speaking tribe of Edo State, Nigeria. A total of 500 indigenes were sampled from 3 randomly selected Local Government Areas (LGAs) and the ink method was used to collect finger-prints from both palms. The loop was the most predominant pattern (54.44%) while the whorl and arches represent 30.96% and 14.60% respectively. Overall, the loop fingerprint pattern was highest in all the LGAs. Esan West LGA presented highest in the arches fingerprints (56.44%) as compared to Esan North East LGA (24.38%) and Esan Central LGA (19.18%). The right hand was observed to present higher in the different primary fingerprints but the different was not significant. There was no significant different (p>0.05) in the distribution of the primary fingerprints pattern between the right and left hand in the different LGAs. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in the distribution of the primary fingerprints between genders. Female represented higher in the arches pattern while male represented higher in the whorl pattern. The loop pattern was male dominant in Esan West and Esan Central LGAs but female dominated in Esan North East LGA. The findings demonstrated gender and LGAs variations of primary fingerprints among the Esan speaking tribe and may suggest different ancestry. This result could play important role for forensic anthropologist in the study area. Keywords: Dermatoglyphics, Fingerprints, Esan, Edo State, Nigeria

Wind energy is one of the cleanest sources of renewable energy sources (RES) in Nigeria but among the least utilized even with its enormous abundance. This work investigates wind energy availability and its utilization in some selected areas of the six geopolitical regions. The area under study is part of North-West (Gumel, in Jigawa State), Part of North-East (Maiduguri, Gamboru and Baga in Bornu State and Kumagunnam in Yobe State), Part North Central (Pankshin and Biu in Plateau State), Part of South-West (Lagos State), Part of South-East (Ihiala in Anambra State) and Part of South-South (Buguma in Rivers State). Rescreen (renewable energy) software was used to analyse the data obtained from Nigeria meteorological agency (NIMET). The result obtained showed the average wind speed for the various locations under study and it was found that there was drastic fluctuation of the speed of wind between June and October, and this was decreasing in this order. Furthermore, Kumagunnam and Gamboru has a high wind speed from January to march. This could be attributed to climatic/seasonal changes in weather pattern and it was also found that this is proportional to the cube of wind speed which is not linearly related to wind speed.

Wind energy is one of the cleanest sources of renewable energy sources (RES) in Nigeria but among the least utilized even with its enormous abundance. This work investigates wind energy availability and its utilization in some selected areas of the six geopolitical regions. The area under study is part of North-West (Gumel, in Jigawa State), Part of North-East (Maiduguri, Gamboru and Baga in Bornu State and Kumagunnam in Yobe State), Part North Central (Pankshin and Biu in Plateau State), Part of South-West (Lagos State), Part of South-East (Ihiala in Anambra State) and Part of South-South (Buguma in Rivers State). Rescreen (renewable energy) software was used to analyse the data obtained from Nigeria meteorological agency (NIMET). The result obtained showed the average wind speed for the various locations under study and it was found that there was drastic fluctuation of the speed of wind between June and October, and this was decreasing in this order. Furthermore, Kumagunnam and Gamboru has a high wind speed from January to march. This could be attributed to climatic/seasonal changes in weather pattern and it was also found that this is proportional to the cube of wind speed which is not linearly related to wind speed.

Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) survey was carried out at EL - Amin proposed University site, Located along Eastern bye pass Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. It lies in the basement complex region of Northern Nigeria. The survey was carried out with the aim of determine the ground water potentials of the area and evaluate its aquifer protective capacity. The technique employed was the Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) using Schlumberger array. A total of 48 VES points were sounded on grid profiles separated by 100 m apart with VES spacing of 100 m. Three to four layers were observed. The Stratigraphy of subsurface shows: topsoil with resistivity range from 0.4 to 277.89 Ωm, Weathered/Fracture basement layer having resistivity vary between 31.0 and 982.89 Ωm and Fresh basement with resistivity range from 19.1 to 79935.239 Ωm. The Weathered/Fractured layer was considered as aquiferous horizon. The Longitudinal Conductance and resistivity Contour maps were produced. Thirteen VES points were delineated as groundwater potential with resistivity ranging from 45.5 Ωm to 611.77 Ωm, thickness ranging between 3.5 m and 13.07 m and depth ranging from 8.8 m to 24.43 m which represent about 18.75 percent of the area. The south, south - east and north - west portions of the area are underlain by materials of moderate to good protective capacity while the western and central part of the area with thin overburden coincided with weak to poor protective capacity which will exp ose the groundwater in the area to pollution.

<div><p><em>The need for this study arose from the worrisome state of unemployment in the country and the obvious neglect of the direct effect of entrepreneurship to entrepreneurs. The study therefore, attempts to ascertain the possible relationship between entrepreneurship and self sustainability in Nigeria. The study adopted a survey design and the six Geo-political zones of the country; south-east, south-south, south-west, north central, north east and north west constituted the population for the study from which a purposive sample of ten (10) entrepreneurs from each zone was taken with particular reference to those that have survived the five (5) years of existence and the total was 60. Data so collected was presented in tabular form and analyzed. The Friedman’s Chi-square was instrumental in the test of the hypothesis formulated and the result showed a significant positive relationship between entrepreneurship and self-sustainability in Nigeria. The study therefore, recommended that considering the pivotal role that entrepreneurship plays in enhancing self-sustainability in the economy, all hands must be on desk to encourage and support entrepreneurial activities in order to curb the high level menace of unemployment rate as well as provide a supporting ground for economic sustainability of the country.</em></p></div>

This study investigates safety challenges in transportation in Nigeria across the six geopolitical zones of the country comprising South-South, South-East, North-West, North-Central, North-East and South-West geopolitical Zones. Both primary and secondary data were employed, and the Multinomial Logistic Regression Model, with specific adoption of the Relative Risk Ratio approach, is the method of analysis. The main concern is examination of exposed and unexposed commuters in the various locations to determine the degrees of exposure to risks associated with ‘basket’ of modes, state of infrastructures and specific risk factors, which account for the fatalities observed on the different roads under consideration. It is found that the six geopolitical zones have various degrees of risks exposure while North-West, North-Central and South-West zones showed significant risk difference between the exposed and the unexposed groups due to risk factors such as bad roads, road blockage/obstruction, kidnaping, unmaintained vehicles, overloading, over speeding and other forms of reckless use of the roads etc. The study recommends risk avoidance education to commuters as new strategies in vulnerable zones and increased deployment of well-trained community road marshals and other relevant security personnel to monitor situations and provide safety for road users. Also, a working transportation policy must be evolve to mitigate the risk factors highlighted above.

Solar energy as a means of power generation is yet to be fully utilized in Nigeria even if there is abundance of it all over the country. This work investigated the availability and utilization of solar energy resources in some selected geopolitical zones of the country. These include the north-west (Gumel), North-East (Maiduguri, Kumagunnam, Gamboru and Baga), North-Central (Pankshin and Biu), South-West (Lagos), South East (Ihiala) and South-South (Buguma). The annual solar radiation potentials from January-December 2021 as well as the air temperatures were determined for the seven locations under study. Retscreen-a renewable energy software was used for the simulation and analysis. The investigation revealed the annual electricity that can be generated for these Gumel located in North-West had 338,463MWh, while Maiduguri, Kumagunnam, Gamboru and Baga all located in North-East had 158,445MWh, 343,964MWh, 300,927MWh and 317,968MWh respectively. North-Central were Pankshin and Biu are located recorded 149,665MWh and 318,416MWh. South-West, South-East and South-South recorded 128,349MWh, 252,174MWh and 230,209MWh. The investigation has also revealed that of all the seven geographical locations under study, the North-Eastern part of the country is more favourable in terms of value obtained and the least favourable is South-West. The work has further shown that the abundance of electricity in these regions if fully tapped can be a huge source of income to even the neighbouring state or country.

Solar energy as a means of power generation is yet to be fully utilized in Nigeria even if there is abundance of it all over the country. This work investigated the availability and utilization of solar energy resources in some selected geopolitical zones of the country. These include the north-west (Gumel), North-East (Maiduguri, Kumagunnam, Gamboru and Baga), North-Central (Pankshin and Biu), South-West (Lagos), South East (Ihiala) and South-South (Buguma). The annual solar radiation potentials from January-December 2021 as well as the air temperatures were determined for the seven locations under study. Retscreen-a renewable energy software was used for the simulation and analysis. The investigation revealed the annual electricity that can be generated for these Gumel located in North-West had 338,463MWh, while Maiduguri, Kumagunnam, Gamboru and Baga all located in North-East had 158,445MWh, 343,964MWh, 300,927MWh and 317,968MWh respectively. North-Central were Pankshin and Biu are located recorded 149,665MWh and 318,416MWh. South-West, South-East and South-South recorded 128,349MWh, 252,174MWh and 230,209MWh. The investigation has also revealed that of all the seven geographical locations under study, the North-Eastern part of the country is more favourable in terms of value obtained and the least favourable is South-West. The work has further shown that the abundance of electricity in these regions if fully tapped can be a huge source of income to even the neighbouring state or country.

Lassa fever (LF) is endemic in West Africa and constitutes a significant public health concern due to its potential for epidemics and associated high mortality. The first reported case and management of Lassa fever in Plateau State occurred more than 50 years ago. We set out to undertake a three-year epidemiological review of LF cases in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. This is a retrospective study of all confirmed LF cases in Plateau State between 2016 and 2018. Plateau state Lassa fever- Line list and patient case records were used to extract relevant data. Lassa PCR was carried out at the NCDC accredited Laboratory network. Data analysis was done using STATA version SE14.1. Forty-four persons (44) had confirmed LF over the examined period, 18 (41%) in 2016, 15 (34%) in 2017 and 11 (25%) in 2018. The mean age was 29.7±14.6 years and 53% were males. Sixty-six percent (66%) of the patients resided in rural areas. It affected all local government areas (LGA) in the state except Pankshin, Jos East and Kanke LGAs. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the cases occurred among underprivileged communities of Jos North and another 25% in rural dwellers of Langtang North. Fifty-nine percent (59%) of cases occurred during the 1st quarter, 27% the 2nd quarter and 18% the 3rd quarter of the year. The case fatality rate was 57%. LF is endemic in Plateau State. Prevention strategies must be sustained year round and target the youth, urban and rural underprivileged communities. There is also need for case management improvement to reduce mortality.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to unravel the changing nature of climate change impact on the food and human security sector of the Nigerian State. Design/methodology/approach This study is an in-depth case study that involves the use of both quantitative and qualitative data. Statistical data on climate variability in Nigeria obtained from reliable databases were use in the making of analysis. Also, data derived from semi-structure interviews and special reports from International Non-governmental organizations on the subject matter were also used in the study. The findings of the study were based on an in-depth analysis of both primary and secondary sources of data. The secondary data were derived from existing published academic works. The primary data was developed using qualitative data that were collected from January to November, 2018 to 2019 in the different regions of Nigeria. For the South East, primary data was collected from Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. In the South-South, primary data was collected from Asaba, Delta State. In the South West, primary data was collected from Barutin, Kwara State. In the North East, primary data was collected from Maiduguri, while in North West, data was collected from Gusau, Zamfara State. In the North Central, data was collected from Markurdi, Benue State. During the data collection, 48 semi-structured Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were carried out in the six selected research areas that represented their geo-political zones. Six Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were carried out, one for each of these six selected cities. Each of the Focus Group Discussions comprised between five and seven respondents. The idea of KIIs and FGDs is to allow the respondents to freely express their ideas comprehensively. Again, in other to get varied forms of responses, the respondents are mainly farmers however, a number of NGOs, civil servants, fertilizer sellers, government officials, transporters and aged men and women/retirees. It should be noted that the respondents cut across male and female gender of all ages and ethnic configuration. The respondents were also randomly selected through social networking. To avoid having people of similar The KIIs were three academics; two community leaders; two small scale fish farmers; rice, cassava, fish, livestock and crop farmers. All KIIs ad TIs were transcribed and analysed using thematic content analysis. Findings The findings revealed that climate change has negatively affected food security in Nigeria. it has also led to continuous armed confrontations over natural resources thereby undermining human security in the country. Originality/value This study is 100% original and can be assessed through turn it in evaluation.

The functioning and utilization of Drug Information Services (DIS) are reviewed in other climes with several studies on the subject matter and measures are taken for quality control of the information output from the Drug Information Centers (DICs). Although some studies assessed the drug information (DI) needs of healthcare professionals and their attitude towards DIS, there still exists the need to provide an overview of the state and extent of DIS and related studies in Nigeria as a means of creating awareness and promoting possible interventional measures. This study presented an overview of Drug Information Services and utilization in Nigeria and generated information for intervention and policy making. This study reviewed the state of drug information services and their utilization in Nigeria using narrative review of relevant literature. The literature search was conducted on computerized databases. Search terms were used singly, in combination,and truncation to select and synthesize articles. The studies selected included those written in the English Language, carried out in Nigeria, with clear study design and properly stated year of publication which fell within the stated years of 1980 to 2020. The data obtained were subjected to descriptive statistics of frequency and percentage. The data was also subjected to comparative assessment using the Oxford and Scottish Benchmarks for Study Standard. Selection of articles gave rise to 41 articles that met the criteria. They were used for the study. The highest number of articles were cited in the Southwest (26.83%). This was followed by the southeast (24.39%). While the north-central had the highest number (12.20%)of articles cited in the north, the least number of articles was found in the north-east (2.44%). There were no articles on DIS and its utilization cited before the year 2000(0%) while the highest number of studies (90.24%) were carried out between 2011 and 2020. The studies fell within the lower half of the Oxford and Scottish benchmarks for the hierarchy of studies and study standards. Drug information Services and utilization in Nigeria are still at their primary stage. Most of the studies carried out were in the south-west and south-east. The leading study design carried out were cross-sectional descriptive surveys which fell within the lower half of two standard benchmarks (Oxford and Scottish) for the hierarchy of studies.

Background: Congenital anomalies of the central nervous system (CACNS) are birth defects of the physical structure of the brain or spinal cord that occur during intrauterine growth. The purpose of study was to obtain the incidence, types and risk factors of congenital anomalies of the central nervous system in the 2 teaching hospitals in Enugu, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a hospital based observational study carried out on infants delivered at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) and Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), Enugu during the periods of January 2013 and December 2018. Diagnosis of neurological congenital anomaly was made through clinical examination by a pediatrician and a neurosurgeon. Stillborns were excluded. Results: During the study period, 15,820 were delivered in the 2 teaching hospitals, out of which 79 infants had CACNS, which gave an incidence of 0.5%. Neural tube defect was the most common neurological anomaly. A significant number of the mothers took herbal concoctions during pregnancy. About one-fifth of the neurological anomalies were diagnosed prenatally. Conclusion: This study showed an incidence of CACNS of 0.5% in the two teaching hospitals in Enugu, South East Nigeria. Neural tube defect was the most common anomaly.

The micronutrient status of the soils and leaf of cocoa, kola, cashew and coffee plantations to study the soil-plant micronutrient content relationship in the plantation soils for proper management towards optimum production of the crops was investigated at Uhonmora, Edo State, Nigeria. Soil and leaf samples were collected from these plantations and analyzed according to standard laboratory procedures. The soil samples were analyzed for the micronutrients (Cu, Mn, Zn and Fe) and in addition pH, organic carbon, sand, silt and clay contents, while the leaves were analyzed for only the micronutrient contents. Results indicated that the soils were sandy loam, acidic, low in organic carbon, deficient in Cu and Mn but very high in Fe and Zn contents. This probably resulted in nutrient imbalance in the soils and the deficiency of the nutrients in the crops. The plantations therefore require application of organic manures and micronutrient fertilizers to rectify the inadequate soil organic matter and to supply sufficient amount of Cu and Mn in the soils, to obtain quality fruit yield at optimum level from the plantations.Keywords: Cashew, cocoa, coffee, kola, micronutrients, sustainable production [How to Cite: Ogeh JS and RR Ipinmoroti. 2013. Micronutrient Assessment of Cocoa, Kola, Cashew and Coffee Plantations for Sustainable Production at Uhonmora, Edo State, Nigeria. J Trop Soils 18 (2): 93-97. Doi: 10.5400/jts.2013.18.2.93] [Permalink/DOI: www.dx.doi.org/10.5400/jts.2013.18.2.93] REFERENCESAdebiyi S, EO Uwagbue, EA Agbongiarhuoyi, I Ndagi and EO Aigbekaen. 2011. Assessment of agronomic practices among kola farmers in Osun State, Nigeria. World J Agric Sci 7: 400-403.Afolabi CA and NE Egbe. 1984. Yield response of kola to N, P and K fertilizer application: A case study of preliminary trial. Cafe Cacao The 28: 13-16. AOAC [Association of Official Analytical Chemists]. 1990. Official Methods of Analysis, 15th Edition. Washington DC: 774-784.Ayanlaja SA. 1983. Rehabilitation of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) in Nigeria: Major problem and possible solution. Plant Soil 73: 403-409.CBN [Central Bank of Nigeria]. 2010. Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for the year. Abuja, Nigeria. 182 p.Chude VO and GO Obigbesan. 1983. Safe and toxic application rates of boron for cocoa seedlings. Plant Soil 74: 145-147.Egbe NE, EA Ayodele and CR Obatolu. 1989. Soils and nutrition of cocoa, coffee, kola cashew and tea. Prog Tree Crop Res 2: 28-38.Falade JA. 1978. Cashew growing soil in Nigeria. East Afr Agric J 43: 100-105. FAO [Food and Agriculture Organization]. 2010. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. http://faostat.fao.org/site/567/DesktopDefault.aspx? PageID=567#ancor. Accessed on 21 January 2010.Ibiremo OS and O Fagbola. 2008. Effect of phosphorus fertilizer and arbuscular mycorhizal fungi inoculation on the growth of cashew seedlings in two soils in Nigeria. Nigerian J Soil Sci 18: 138-146.Ipinmoroti RR, OSO Akanbi, MA Daniel, LA Adebowale, GA Adewoye, EA Makinde and CO Kayode. 2011. Potentials of NPK and organic fertilizers on growth performance of cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) seedlings on degraded typic alfisol soils in Ibadan, Nigeria. J Agric Sci Tech 1: 876-881.Ipinmoroti RR, P Aikpokpodion and OSO Akanbi. 2009. Nutritional assessment of cocoa plots for soil fertility management on some cocoa farms in Nigeria. Proceedings of 16th International Cocoa Research Conference Held at Grand Hyatt Hotel, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, pp 1481-1485.Iremiren GO and AM Ekhomun. 2005. Effects of N fertilizer rates on the performance of maize-okra mixture in an acid sand soil of the Nigerian forest zone. Nigerian J Appl Sci 23: 11-14. McKenzie RH. 2001. Micronutrient requirements of crops. Alberta Agriculture and Rural development http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex713. Acessed on 21 July 2011.Nelson DW and LE Sommers. 1982. Organic carbon and soil extracts In: D L Sparks (ed). Methods of soil Analysis. Part 2- Chemical and microbiological properties. Agronomy Monograph No.9, 2nd Edition. American Society of Agronomy, Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI, USA, pp. 539-579.Ogunlade MO, OS Ibiremo, RR Ipinmoroti, CI Iloyanomon and PE Aikpokpodion. 2011. Determination of phosphorus and potassium fixation capacities and fertilizer fctors in soils of three cocoa growing areas of Nigeria. J Soil Nat 5: 11-16.Ogunmoyela OA and CR Obatolu. 1984. Nutrient studies and fertilizer requirements of Nigeria tea. Cafe Cacao The 28: 179-184.Ogunwale JA, JO Olaniyan and MO Aduloju. 2002. Morphological, physico-chemical and clay mineralogical properties of soils overlaying basement complex rocks in Ilorin East, Nigeria. Moor J Agric Res 3: 147-154.Ojeniyi SO. 1980. Nutrient studies of NPK treated coffee plots. Plant Soil 56: 175-179.Omotoso TI. 1974. The effect of fertilizer and irrigation on the leaf macronutrient composition of Coffea canephora during a year. Turrialba 24: 315-318.Opeke LK. 1987. Tropical tree crops. Spectrum Books Limited, Ibadan, Nigeria, p 247.Wood GAR and RA Lass. 1985. Cocoa, 4th ed. London: Longman, pp. 620-632.

This Study examined Community Development Programmes and Leadership Capacity Building of Community Leaders in Bayelsa State of Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population of the study comprises the 1,294 Paramount Rulers and Community Development Committee (CDC) Chairmen in the state. The simple random sampling technique was applied to select 200 respondents from each of the senatorial districts that make up Bayelsa State (Bayelsa Central, Bayelsa East and Bayelsa West) to realize a sample size of 600. The instrument used for data collection was a questionnaire. The reliability coefficient index of the instrument was 0.85. Three research questions were posed. They were analyzed using frequencies and weighted mean. The findings revealed amongst others that: cultural education programmes, environment/sanitation education programmes and peace/conflict resolution education programmes build the capacity of Community Leaders on cultural values for peaceful coexistence amongst others. Based on the findings, the Researcher recommended amongst others that: Paramount Rulers and Community Development Committee (CDC) Chairmen should recommend to the state government on adding peace education to the primary and secondary school curriculum as this would bring lasting peace to the various local government areas of Bayelsa State and Nigeria at large.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is an important food crop in sub-Saharan Africa. One of the major production constraints is cassava mosaic disease caused by African cassava mosaic (ACMV) and East African cassava mosaic (EACMV) begomoviruses. ACMV is widespread in its distribution, occurring throughout West and Central Africa and in some eastern and southern African countries. In contrast, EACMV has been reported to occur mainly in more easterly areas, particularly in coastal Kenya and Tanzania, Malawi, and Madagascar. In 1997, a survey was conducted in Nigeria to determine the distribution of ACMV and its strains. Samples from 225 cassava plants showing mosaic symptoms were tested with ACMV monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) in triple antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (1). Three samples reacted strongly with MAbs that could detect both ACMV and EACMV. One of them did not react with ACMV-specific MAbs while the other two reacted weakly with such MAbs. With polymerase chain reaction (2), the presence of EACMV and a mixture of EACMV and ACMV in the respective samples was confirmed. These samples were collected from two villages: Ogbena in Kwara State and Akamkpa in Cross River State. Co-infection of some cassava varieties with ACMV and EACMV leads to severe symptoms. More importantly, a strain of mosaic geminivirus known as Uganda variant arose from recombination between the two viruses (2). This report provides evidence for the presence of EACMV in West Africa. References: (1) J. E. Thomas et al. J. Gen. Virol. 67:2739, 1986. (2) X. Zhou et al. J. Gen. Virol. 78:2101, 1997.

The study was carried out to determine the factors affecting farmer’s willingness to export yam in Oyo State. This study used data collected from a multistage sampling of 80 yam farmers. Analytical techniques used include descriptive statistics and probit model. The results showed that majority of farmers in the study area are ageing, with a mean age of 57.21. It was also observed that there were more males (87.5%) than females (12.5%) and that 71.2% of farmers had formal education. The result of probit analysis showed that farm size (0.81, p = 0.002) was a significant factor determining the willingness of farmers to export. This means as the farmers' farm size increases so also is their willingness to export. The result also revealed that an increase in other occupation (0.96, p = 0.154) of the respondents will bring about an increase in their willingness to export yam. This suggests that farmers who had other sources of income might be more willing to export yam. It was therefore concluded that when more land is allocated to yam production and financial support is made available to farmers in the study area, their willingness to export yam would increase.

This study is aimed at employing the structural equation model to estimate the significance of effective management of toilets, interventionist measures, and punitive measures, as veritable dimensions of planning that can mitigate open defecation in Ogun state, Nigeria. Adopting a four-level multi-stage approach, a total of 110, 100, and 120 questionnaires were respectively administered in Ogijo/Likosi, Ilaro I, and Sodeke/Sale‐Ijeun I wards. The selected criteria reflect the variance in the populations of 1,250,435(33%), 1,112,761(30%), and 1,387,944(37%) for Ogun East, Ogun West and Ogun Central, respectively. The pooled confirmatory factor analysis process involved several re-estimations, based on the deletion of lowly loading factors and correlation of redundant items. Next, the model was validated; normality was assessed; and full structural model was analysed. The structural model established a significant positive relationship between Effective Management of Toilets (MT) and Planning Dimension (PD) (β=0.773, p<0.05), Punitive Measures (PM) and Planning Dimension (PD) (β=0.765, p<0.05), and similarly, Interventionist Measures (IM) and Planning Dimension (PD) (β=1.093, p<0.05). The study, among all others, recommends the implementation of initiatives such as landscaping of open spaces; provision of bus terminals with adequate toilets, in the event that households members are pressed while travelling; installations of signposts warning against open defecation; connection of all residential developments to comprehensive water schemes; and enlightenment campaigns against open defecation by the authority, as planning measures that can discourage open defecation.

A total of 50 water samples comprising; 20 well water, 15 sachet water, 10 borehole water and 5 river water samples, were obtained from Wamakko, Dange-shuni and Wurno local government areas in Sokoto Central, Sokoto West and Sokoto East, Nigeria respectively between March and May 2015. They were analyzed using membrane filtration and pour plate techniques for faecal coliforms count and total coliform count respectively. The total coliform count for all the sources ranged between 0 and 3.28 × 102 with a total mean of 1.11 × 10,2 that of faecal coliform count was found to range between 0 and 92 with a mean total count of 12.58. Among the bacteria isolated and identified, Escherichia coli had the highest total prevalence of 233 (40.31%) and occurring in all the water samples. Klebsiella spp had 99 (17.13%) occurring in all the sources, Salmonella spp 43 (7.44%) occurring in all the sources except for borehole, Pseudomonas species 88 (15.22%) occurring in all the sources, Staphylococcus aureus with 115 (19.90%) occurring in all the sources except for borehole. However, the pHs for all the samples were found to be within the range of 6.51 to 8.0 which are within WHO acceptable range of 6.0 to 8.5. From this study, it is obvious that the water sources from the areas under study are bacteriologically unfit for drinking purposes. These samples with high total coliform count are of concern and calls for urgent and stringent measures aimed at ensuring a safer drinking water for the populace.

Measuring tree species diversity is critical for forest management, particularly where timber species suffer undue anthropogenic pressure. This study was carried out in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. A sample plot was systematically chosen from randomly selected communities in each of the three senatorial districts Bayelsa West (BW), Bayelsa East (BE) and Bayelsa Central (BC) of the State. Each sample plots measured 25 m x 25 m and all timber tree species that were at least six feet above ground level within each sample plot were identified, counted and measured. Fifty individual timbers were encountered in the sample plot at Ogobiri community in BW, fifty-two at Kolo 1 community in BE and fifty-six at Gbarain community in BC belonged to 18, 16 and 14 different families respectively. Families with the largest number of species in the plots were Gentianaceae and Meliaceae, and the highest diversity indices were recorded from BE senatorial district. Generally, the basal area of the sample plots increases with an increase in diameter at breast height. The forested zones were on flat terrain characterized by seasonal flood inundation, and the similarities of timber species in the plots occurred as (BW-BC)> (BW-BE)> (BC-BE). Also, four tree species Coelocaryon preussii, Sacoglottis gabonensis, Milicia excelsa and Triplochiton scleroxylon were identified as rare species, and management options that would ensure ad infinitum supply of timber species were proposed.

The sourcing and management practices of the live-goat suppliers and retailers in Lagos State, Nigeria were evaluated. Sources of the live-goat and the husbandry practices on them by suppliers and retailers were determined, using three-stage sampling procedures. Three livestock markets each from Lagos East, West and Central Senatorial Districts were purposively selected. Nine suppliers and 18 retailers were randomly selected in each market resulting to 81 and 162 respondents, respectively. Data on sourcing, handling, and holding period of live-goat were collected using two well-structured questionnaires for the suppliers and retailers of goats. Results showed that most suppliers (89.3%) purchased goats from open markets outside the state. The suppliers (52.0%) and retailers (80.0%) tethered goats. Most suppliers (77.3%) and retailers (90.0%) held goats for a maximum of three weeks, fed goats on dry grass sold in the open markets and some from open paddock. Routine administration of analgesic, dewormer, salt licks and water mainly sourced from boreholes and rivers were practices by both the suppliers and retailers. The age and level of education of the suppliers and retailers significantly influenced (p &lt; 0.05) the management systems, handling, pest control, deworming, watering and additives used by the suppliers and retailers of goats. Most retailers (90.0%) belonged to markets regulated by different sectorial market associations while the local and state government officials in the markets performed no regulatory roles. Therefore, live-goat in Lagos State were sourced from other parts of Nigeria, handled, and managed by the suppliers and then retailers prior to their disposal in a manner directly influenced by the age and levels of education of the practitioners.

Bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina Del.) plant is a tree species that is highly cultivated in Nigeria for its nutritive and therapeutic values. This study aimed to determine the antioxidant and antigenotoxicity effects (in vitro) of 52 accessions of V. amygdalina collected from six geopolitical zones of Nigeria (North East, North West, North Central, South South, East and West) by evaluating the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and nitric oxide (NO-) scavenging antioxidant activities, flavonoid and phenolic contents as well as ethidium bromide-induced DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) damage of bitter leaf. The results showed that accessions MN628016 (Oshimili South, Delta State) and MN628010 (Akoko Edo, Edo State), respectively had higher amounts of flavonoid (287.19 mg/g/FW) and phenolic (307.90 mg/g/FW) contents. The accessions MN627984 (Ikpoba Okha, Edo State) and MN627975 (Owerri, Imo State) had the highest nitric oxide (85.73%) and DPPH radical scavenging inhibitory effect (98.92%). The highest percentage fragmented DNA (45.05%), was observed in Allium cepa roots homogenised and mixed with ethidium bromide followed by the A. cepa roots homogenised and mixed with the leaf extract of V. amygdalina accession MN627977 (36.12%). However, V. amygdalina accessions MN628008 (457.62%, Warri North, Delta State) had the highest percentage increase of fragmented DNA followed by MN628024 (395.04%, Oshimili North, Delta State), MN628015 (345.54%; Aniocha North, Delta State) and MN627984 (342.04%; Ikpoba Okha, Edo State) while accession MN628010 (7.32%; Akoko Edo, Edo State) had the lowest. Accession MN628010 which possessed the highest amount of phenolic content had the lowest percentage increase of fragmented DNA and accession MN627984 which possessed the highest nitric oxide radical scavenging inhibitory effect was among the accessions with the highest percentage increase of fragmented DNA. The findings of this study suggest that the observed lowest percentage of fragmented DNA of A. cepa roots growth induced with the solution of ethidium bromide and treated with V. amygdalina accessions MN628010 extracts (antigenotoxic) could be as a result of the high antioxidant activities in the V. amygdalina accessions. In summary, the findings of this study showed that the 52 V. amygdalina accessions obtained from different locations of Nigeria will help to combat ethidium bromide induced genoxicities and any other genotoxicant that may lead to different complications in plant (A. cepa roots), as all the accessions possessed antioxidant and antigenotoxic properties, as such, possessed comparable amount of natural antioxidant activities and antigenotoxicity. Key words: Antioxidant, antigenotoxicity, bitter leaf, accessions, ethidium bromide, Allium cepa

The paper set out to ascertain the viewpoints of the people of Gombe L.G.A. to review their perceptions of the economic viability of Islamic banking. The paper presents primary data collected through the use of questionnaire involving a sample of 134 respondents. The survey employs an exploratory factor analysis to examine what the respondents perceive to be the economic viability of Islamic banking in the local government area. The survey confirms that the advent of Islamic banking in the area will bring about economic benefits as it will serve as a means for financial inclusion for the financially excluded and will also serve as a potential vehicle for fund mobilization, create more employment opportunities and encourage foreign investment especially from the Middle East amongst others. However, the paper suggests that in order to actualize these economic benefits, the central bank and other relevant stakeholders including licensed Islamic banks must do enough in the area of creating awareness of Islamic banking and its relevance to the people.

Radiation from radioactive materials/radionuclides in the environment enhanced by anthropogenic activities is presently of a great concern globally. The objective of this study is to determine the radiometric and dosimetric parameters from soil samples collected randomly from the study area of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The samples were prepared using standard methods and analyzed with a high resolution Hyperpure Germanium Detector configuration (HPGe). The results showed the clay samples to have higher activity concentration to the sands samples with activity concentration of clay samples ranging between 68.99±9.05 –189, 42±21.11Bq/kg and the sand samples with activity concentration range of 17.95±5.87 – 38.59±7.43Bq/kg. The activity concentration spatial distribution map in clay lithologies showed 2 peak values trending north-west, while the sand lithology showed a single peak central distribution. The result also showed the values of the absorbed doses with the 8 clay samples values ranging between 59.09 - 155.25nGy/h and sand samples values between 17.90 – 33.92nGy/h. The spatial distribution of the dose showed 2 peak central distribution in clay samples and north-east trending distribution of high peak values for samples with sand lithologies. In addition, the results showed an effective absorbed dose of range of 0.235-0.0616mSv/y for samples with clay lithology and 0.0071-0.0135mSv/y for samples with sand lithology The activity concentration of all the samples studied are below the 1000Bq/kg international reference limit for Radium 226, Thorium 232, uranium 238 and 10,000Bq/kg for potassium 40. The absorbed dose rate and annual effective absorbed dose are also below the international reference limits published by ICRP, 2007 and UNSCEAR, 2000 publications. Also, effective activity maximum limit of 370Bq/kg for input raw materials for public building is not exceeded.

IntroductionGlobal progress in reducing malaria has stalled since 2015. Analysis of the situation is particularly needed in Nigeria, the country with by far the largest share of the burden, where approximately a quarter of all cases in the world are estimated to occur.MethodsWe analysed data from three nationwide surveys (Malaria Indicator Surveys in 2010 and 2015 and a National Demographic and Health Survey in 2018), with malaria parasite prevalence in children under 5 years of age determined by sampling from all 36 states of Nigeria, and blood slide microscopy performed in the same accredited laboratory for all samples. Changes over time were evaluated by calculating prevalence ratio (PR) values with 95% CIs for each state, together with Mantel-Haenszel-adjusted PRs (PRadj) for each of the six major geopolitical zones of the country.ResultsBetween 2010 and 2018, there were significant reductions in parasite prevalence in 25 states, but not in the remaining 11 states. Prevalence decreased most in southern zones of the country (South West PRadj=0.53; South East PRadj=0.59; South South PRadj=0.51) and the North Central zone (PRadj=0.36). Changes in the north were less marked, but were significant and indicated overall reductions by more than 20% (North-West PRadj=0.74; North East PRadj=0.70). Changes in the south occurred mostly between 2010 and 2015, whereas those in the north were more gradual and most continued after 2015. Recent changes were not correlated with survey-reported variation in use of preventive measures.ConclusionReductions in malaria infection in children under 5 have occurred in most individual states in Nigeria since 2010, but substantial geographical variation in the timing and extent indicate challenges to be overcome to enable global malaria reduction.

An exponential increase in the global population has seriously put pressure on land and water resources. It is projected that 33% of the worldwide people will be highly water-stressed by the 2050s if effective strategies are not developed. The study assessed urban domestic water demand and supply in Edo North senatorial district in Edo State, Nigeria. This is with the view of exploring some critical water resource variables to determine water security, distribution, and accessibility of safe drinking water in Edo North in Edo State in Nigeria. Integrated Water Resource Management Tools (IWRT) such as Water Poverty Index (WPI) and Water Accessibility Indicator (WAI) was applied. The results show that Auchi is highly water-stressed at the Estako-west area with MPI and WAI values of 0.24 and 0.33. Conversely, Okpella and Agenebode in Eskako central have MPI and WAI values 0.34 and 0.31, and 0.31 and 0.32. Sabo Gida Ora and Isobe in Owan East and West have better safe drinking water coverage and accessibility with the indicator values of 0.54, 0.53 [WPI], and 0.61 and 0.59 [WAI]. It is generally observed that the supply of potable water in the Edo North is highly unsecured and unsustainable to meet the current and future demand. Valuable and economic time is wasted to gather water from an average closest distance of 1.3 km from home to some designated water taps. In conclusion, it is imperative to design a robust integrated water policy that should include Private-Public-Partnership (PPP) to invest in the provision of safe drinking water.

An exponential increase in the global population has seriously put pressure on land and water resources. It is projected that 33% of the worldwide people will be highly water-stressed by the 2050s if effective strategies are not developed. The study assessed urban domestic water demand and supply in Edo North senatorial district in Edo State, Nigeria. This is with the view of exploring some critical water resource variables to determine water security, distribution, and accessibility of safe drinking water in Edo North in Edo State in Nigeria. Integrated Water Resource Management Tools (IWRT) such as Water Poverty Index (WPI) and Water Accessibility Indicator (WAI) was applied. The results show that Auchi is highly water-stressed at the Estako-west area with MPI and WAI values of 0.24 and 0.33. Conversely, Okpella and Agenebode in Eskako central have MPI and WAI values 0.34 and 0.31, and 0.31 and 0.32. Sabo Gida Ora and Isobe in Owan East and West have better safe drinking water coverage and accessibility with the indicator values of 0.54, 0.53 [WPI], and 0.61 and 0.59 [WAI]. It is generally observed that the supply of potable water in the Edo North is highly unsecured and unsustainable to meet the current and future demand. Valuable and economic time is wasted to gather water from an average closest distance of 1.3 km from home to some designated water taps. In conclusion, it is imperative to design a robust integrated water policy that should include Private-Public-Partnership (PPP) to invest in the provision of safe drinking water.

Objective - The aim of this study was to evaluate Integrated Library System (ILS) use in university libraries in Nigeria in terms of their adoption, performance, achievements, and shortcomings and to propose a rigorous model for ongoing evaluation based on use of candidate variables (CVs) derived from the approach used by Hamilton and Chervany (1981) and from evaluation criteria suggested by Farajpahlou (1999, 2002). Methods - The study adopted a descriptive survey design. Nigeria is made up of six geo-political zones including: North-East (NE), North-West (NW), North-Central (NC), South-South (SS), South-East (SE), and South-West (SW). The population for this study comprised Systems/IT and E-librarians in the university libraries from all six of the geo-political zones of Nigeria. Because of the large number of universities in each of the zones in Nigeria, a convenience sampling method was used to select six universities representing federal, state, and private institutions from each of the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. A purposive sampling method was used to select the Systems/IT and E-librarians who were directly in charge of ILS in their various libraries. Therefore, the sample for this study was made up of 36 Systems/IT and E-librarians from the 36 selected universities in Nigeria. The instrument used to elicit responses from the respondents was an online questionnaire and was distributed through the respondents’ email boxes and WhatsApp. The questionnaire administration received a 100% response rate. Results - Findings revealed that university libraries in Nigeria have made remarkable progress in the adoption and use of ILS for library services. The findings also showed that much has been achieved in the use of ILS in library services. Evidence in the study indicated that the performance of the ILS adopted in the selected university libraries in the area of data entry and currency, accuracy, reliability, completeness, flexibility, ease of use, and timeliness was encouraging. Conclusions - Adoption and use of ILS in libraries is changing the way libraries deliver services to their patrons. Traditional methods of service delivery are different from the expectations of the 21st century library patrons. The transformation seen in the university libraries in Nigeria using ILS was tremendous and is changing the narratives of the past. However, several shortcomings still exist in the adoption and use of ILS in university libraries in Nigeria. Overcoming some of the limitations would require a conscious effort and decisiveness to ensure that librarians and library patrons enjoy the best services that ILS can offer. ILS developers should consider the dynamic needs of libraries and their patrons and incorporate specific candidate variables (CVs) in their ILS designs to enhance the quality of the services being offered to the library patrons.

This study examined residents’ level of satisfaction with the available infrastructure in Moremi, Oroki and Akoda Estates in Osun State, with a view to enhancing provision of infrastructure. Primary data was used for the study. Questionnaire was used to elicit information from the residents of the three selected public housing estates from the three senatorial districts in Osun State, each public housing estate representing one senatorial district. These public housing estates are under the portfolio of Osun State Property Development Corporation (OSPDC), Osogbo. The public estates include, Moremi Estate in Osun east senatorial district with 416 residential buildings, Oroki Estate in Osun central senatorial district with 816 residential buildings and Akoda estate in Osun West senatorial district with 46 residential buildings. These reflect a total of 1,278 residential buildings where systematic random sampling was adopted in selecting 20% of the residential buildings in the three selected public housing estates. A total of 255 residential buildings were selected, from which a resident was selected for questionnaire administration. The data collected were analyzed using relative importance index (RII) and Residents' Satisfaction Index (RSI) analysis. The result showed that the average Residents' Satisfaction Index (RSI) for the level of satisfaction derived from the infrastructure in the study area was 2.49 which showed that the residents were not satisfied. This study concluded that the residents were not deriving adequate satisfaction from the infrastructure available in the public housing estates. The study recommends that there is need to integrate residents’ preferred infrastructure into development policies: The residents’ preferred infrastructure identified in this study should be linked and integrated into the development policy designs for the estates.

The effects of seed provenance on daily seed germination, cumulative a seed germination and germination percentage of Jatropha Curcas L. was studied in the 2019 at the fruit and vegetable teaching and research Farm of Department of agricultural Science, Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto, Nigeria. The study area comprised of four senatorial zones of Sokoto state, Nigeria covering Sokoto Central Zone with Sokoto South, Wamakko, Kware and Binji Local Government Area. The Sokoto West Zone with Bodinga, Yabo, Shagari and Tambuwal Local Government Area. Sokoto East Zone with Gwadabawa, Goronyo, Isah and Sabon-Birni Local Government Areas. Seed accessions collected were dried properly and fumigated with nuval chemical and stored in polyethene bags. Uniform seed treatment was given to all the accessions prior to sowing, by soaking the seeds in water for 12 hours and subsequently sown directly on the field. They were laid out in a split plot design with three replications. Spacing was within the main plot, while seed germination was allocated the sub-plot. Data were recorded on percentage establishment, Daily seed germination, cumulative seed germination and germination percentage after the establishment count. Significant means were separated using the Duncan’s New Multiple Range Test (DNMRT). The highest daily germination (3.33a) was recorded at the seed accession (SE1), followed by the SE2 (P>3.00a) and the least being the SE4 (p<1.00C) whereas on the cumulative germination however, the seed accession at SE1 had the highest (P>17.67a) followed by those of accessions SC1 and SW4 (who were at par (P<14.33bc) and the least that form the accession of SC4 (P<5.33f). The seed accession at SE1 had the highest (P.>88.33a), followed by the SC1, and SW4 which were statistically at far (P.<71.67). Whereas the least being that at the accession SC3 (P.<46.67e). Consequently the seed at accession SE1 are therefore recommended for Jatropha cultivation in the semi-arid zone of Nigeria.

The negative impact of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) in Nigeria is enormous, and it poses serious public health issues and concerns. This study was undertaken to investigate the impact of health education intervention on reinfection of STHs in pupils of rural schools of Kogi East, North Central Nigeria. A total of 10 schools with the highest prevalence of STHs at baseline were selected from the 45 schools assessed during the baseline survey. These 10 schools were randomly paired into two groups of 5 schools per group. Five schools were dewormed and given health education (DHE) intervention while the other 5 schools were dewormed only (DO) without health education. Reassessment of schools for reinfection was carried out for a period of 12 months. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Student’s t -test was used to make comparison between interventions in the incidence of infections. Analysis was carried out at p < 0.05 . Reinfection with STHs was observed from the 28th week (7th month) of both interventions with incidence of 0.29 (2 pupils) and 1.00 (7 pupils) in DO and DHE schools, respectively. In the 36th week (9th month), incidence observed in schools given DHE was 0.56 (5 pupils) while incidence of 0.89 (8 pupils) was observed in DO schools, and there was no significant difference ( t = − 1.000 , p = 0.347 ) between the interventions. At 48th week (12th month), there was no significant difference ( t = − 0.547 , p = 0.599 ) in incidence between the DHE and DO schools with incidence of 1.00 (12 pupils) and 0.83 (10 pupils), respectively. Hookworms had an incidence of 0.78 (7 pupils) at DHE schools and 0.56 (5 pupils) at DO schools in the 36th week while an incidence of 0.92 (11 pupils) and 0.83 (10 pupils) at DHE and DO schools, respectively, in the 48th week. Ascaris lumbricoides was only observed in DHE schools in a pupil with an incidence of 0.11 (1 pupil) and 0.08 (1 pupil) at 36th and 48th weeks. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of the parasites between DO and DHE intervention groups ( p > 0.05 ). School-based health education intervention had no significant impact on STH incidence in pupils of rural schools in Kogi East. Community-based deworming should be encouraged alongside improvement in the water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructures and practices at both school and home.

The study was carried out at national centre for agricultural mechanization (ncam) ilorin kwara state, nigeria. The data on siwes students used was compiled for the period 2011 to 2015 of planning monitoring and evaluation department of the centre. Results from the study revealed that from the 2011 – 2015 the polytechnics recorded the highest of statistical mean of 44.60 and universities has 32.00 there is a very strong significant difference of 0.00 between the tertiary institutions (polytechnics, universities, college of education and federal training centre). The study also revealed that more of engineering students came for siwes program then science and social science with a very high significant difference of 0.01. No much significant difference between female and male students. The statistical mean for duration of 6 months and 1 year is the highest North central has the highest mean of 63.40 followed by south west is 11.20, north west has 1.80, north east has 1.60 while south south has none (0.00). Implying that only students from the tertiary institutions within the proximity of geo – political zone where ncam is sited came for their siwes programme at the national centre for agricultural mechanization.

The global spread of Salafism, though it began in the 1960s and 1970s, only started to attract significant attention from scholars and analysts outside of Islamic studies as well as journalists, politicians, and the general public following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks perpetrated by Al-Qaeda Central. After the attacks, Salafism—or, as it was pejoratively labeled by its critics inside and outside of the Islamic tradition, “Wahhabism”—was accused of being the ideological basis of all expressions of Sunni militancy from North America and Europe to West and East Africa, the Arab world, and into Asia. According to this narrative, Usama bin Laden, Ayman al-Za- wahiri, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and other Sunni jihadis were merely putting into action the commands of medieval ‘ulama such as Ibn Taymiyya, the eighteenth century Najdi Hanbali Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab, and modern revolutionary ideologues like Sayyid Qutb and ‘Abdullah ‘Azzam. To eradicate terrorism, you must eliminate or neuter Salafism, say its critics. The reality, of course, is far more complex than this simplistic nar- rative purports. Salafism, though its adherents share the same core set of creedal beliefs and methodological approaches toward the interpretation of the Qur’an and hadith and Sunni legal canon, comes in many forms, from the scholastic and hierarchical Salafism of the ‘ulama in Saudi Arabia and other Muslim majority countries to the decentralized, self-described Salafi groups in Europe and North America who cluster around a single char- ismatic preacher who often has limited formal religious education. What unifies these different expressions of Salafism is a core canon of religious and legal texts and set of scholars who are widely respected and referenced in Salafi circles. Thurston grounds his fieldwork and text-based analysis of Salafism in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and home to one of the world’s largest single Muslim national populations, through the lens of this canon, which he defines as a “communally negotiated set of texts that is governed by rules of interpretation and appropriation” (1). He argues fur- ther that in the history of Nigerian Salafism, one can trace the major stages that the global Salafi movement has navigated as it spread from the Arab Middle East to what are erroneously often seen as “peripheral” areas of the Islamic world, Africa and parts of Asia. The book is based on extensive fieldwork in Nigeria including interviews with key Nigerian Salafi scholars and other leading figures as well as a wide range of textual primary sourc- es including British and Nigerian archival documents, international and national news media reports, leaked US embassy cables, and a significant number of religious lectures and sermons and writings by Nigerian Salafis in Arabic and Hausa. In Chapter One, Thurston argues that the Salafi canon gives individ- ual and groups of Salafis a sense of identity and membership in a unique and, to them, superior religious community that is linked closely to their understanding and reading of sacred history and the revered figures of the Prophet Muhammad and the Ṣaḥāba. Salafism as an intellectual current, theology, and methodological approach is transmitted through this can- on which serves not only as a vehicle for proselytization but also a rule- book through which the boundaries of what is and is not “Salafism” are determined by its adherents and leading authorities. The book’s analytical framework and approach toward understanding Salafism, which rests on seeing it as a textual tradition, runs counter to the popular but problematic tendency in much of the existing discussion and even scholarly literature on Salafism that defines it as a literalist, one-dimensional, and puritani- cal creed with a singular focus on the Qur’an and hadith canon. Salafis, Thurston argues, do not simply derive religious and legal rulings in linear fashion from the Qur’an and Prophetic Sunna but rather engage in a co- herent and uniform process of aligning today’s Salafi community with a set of normative practices and beliefs laid out by key Salafi scholars from the recent past. Thurston divides the emergence of a distinct “Salafi” current within Sunnis into two phases. The first stretches from 1880 to 1950, as Sun- ni scholars from around the Muslim-majority world whose approaches shared a common hadith-centered methodology came into closer contact. The second is from the 1960s through the present, as key Salafi institutions (such as the Islamic University of Medina and other Saudi Salafi bodies) were founded and began attracting and (perhaps most importantly) fund- ing and sponsoring Sunni students from countries such as Nigeria to come study in Saudi Arabia, where they were deeply embedded in the Salafi tra- dition before returning to their home countries where, in turn, they spread Salafism among local Muslims. Nigeria’s Muslim-majority north, as with other regions such as Yemen’s northern Sa‘ada governorate, proved to be a fertile ground for Salafism in large part because it enabled local Muslims from more humble social backgrounds to challenge the longtime domi- nance of hereditary ruling families and the established religious class. In northern Nigeria the latter was and continues to be dominated by Sufi or- ders and their shaykhs whose long-running claim to communal leadership faced new and substantive theological and resource challenges following the return of Nigerian seminary students from Saudi Arabia’s Salafi scho- lastic institutions in the 1990s and early 2000s. In Chapters Two and Three, Thurston traces the history of Nigerian and other African students in Saudi Arabia, which significantly expanded following the 1961 founding of the Islamic University of Medina (which remains the preeminent Salafi seminary and university in the world) and after active outreach across the Sunni Muslim world by the Saudi govern- ment and Salafi religious elite to attract students through lucrative funding and scholarship packages. The process of developing an African Salafism was not one-dimensional or imposed from the top-down by Saudi Salafi elites, but instead saw Nigerian and other African Salafi students partici- pate actively in shaping and theorizing Salafi da‘wa that took into account the specifics of each African country and Islamic religious and social envi- ronment. In Nigeria and other parts of West and East Africa, this included considering the historically dominant position of Sufi orders and popular practices such as devotion to saints and grave and shrine visitation. African and Saudi Salafis also forged relationships with local African partners, in- cluding powerful political figures such as Ahmadu Bello and his religious adviser Abubakar Gumi, by attracting them with the benefits of establishing ties with wealthy international Islamic organizations founded and backed by the Saudi state, including the Muslim World League. Nigerian Salafis returning from their studies in Saudi Arabia actively promoted their Salafi canon among local Muslims, waging an aggressive proselytization campaign that sought to chip away at the dominance of traditional political and religious elites, the Sufi shaykhs. This process is covered in Chapter Four. Drawing on key sets of legal and exegetical writ- ings by Ibn Taymiyya, Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab, and other Salafi scholars, Nigerian Salafis sought to introduce a framework—represented by the canon—through which their students and adherents approach re- ligious interpretation and practice. By mastering one’s understanding and ability to correctly interpret scripture and the hadith, Salafis believe, one will also live a more ethical life based on a core set of “Salafi” principles that govern not only religious but also political, social, and economic life. Salaf- ism, Thurston argues, drawing on the work of Terje Østebø on Ethiopian Salafism, becomes localized within a specific environment.As part of their da‘wa campaigns, Nigerian Salafis have utilized media and new technology to debate their rivals and critics as well as to broad- en their own influence over Nigerian Muslims and national society more broadly, actions analyzed in Chapter Five. Using the Internet, video and audio recorded sermons and religious lectures, books and pamphlets, and oral proselytization and preaching, Nigerian Salafis, like other Muslim ac- tivists and groups, see in media and technology an extension of the phys- ical infrastructure provided by institutions such as mosques and religious schools. This media/cyber infrastructure is as, if not increasingly more, valuable as the control of physical space because it allows for the rapid spread of ideas beyond what would have historically been possible for local religious preachers and missionaries. Instead of preaching political revo- lution, Nigerian Salafi activists sought to win greater access to the media including radio airtime because they believed this would ultimately lead to the triumph of their religious message despite the power of skeptical to downright hostile local audiences among the Sufi orders and non-Salafis dedicated to the Maliki juridical canon.In the realm of politics, the subject of Chapter Six, Nigeria’s Salafis base their political ideology on the core tenets of the Salafi creed and canon, tenets which cast Salafism as being not only the purest but the only true version of Islam, and require of Salafis to establish moral reform of a way- ward Muslim society. Salafi scholars seek to bring about social, political, and religious reform, which collectively represent a “return” to the Prophet Muhammad’s Islam, by speaking truth to power and advising and repri- manding, as necessary, Muslim political rulers. In navigating the multi-po- lar and complex realm of national and regional politics, Thurston argues, Nigerian Salafi scholars educated in Saudi Arabia unwittingly opened the door to cruder and more extreme, militant voices of figures lacking the same level of study of the Salafi canon or Sunni Islam generally. The most infamous of the latter is “Boko Haram,” the jihadi-insurgent group today based around Lake Chad in Nigeria, Chad, and Niger, which calls itself Jama‘at Ahl al-Sunna li-l-Da‘wa wa-l-Jihad and is led by the bombastic Abubakar Shekau. Boko Haram, under the leadership first of the revivalist preacher Mu- hammad Yusuf and then Shekau, is covered at length in the book’s third and final part, which is composed of two chapters. Yusuf, unlike mainstream Nigerian Salafis, sought to weaponize the Salafi canon against the state in- stead of using it as a tool to bring about desired reforms. Drawing on the writings of influential Arab jihadi ideologues including Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi and the apocalyptic revolutionary Juhayman al-‘Utaybi, the lat- ter of whom participated in the 1979 seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Yusuf cited key Salafi concepts such as al-walā’ min al-mu’minīn wa-l-bara’ ‘an al-kāfirīn (loyalty to the Believers and disavowal of the Disbelievers) and beliefs about absolute monotheism (tawḥīd) as the basis of his revival- ist preaching. Based on these principle, he claimed, Muslims must not only fulfill their ritual duties such as prayer and fasting during Ramadan but also actively fight “unbelief” (kufr) and “apostasy” (ridda) and bring about God’s rule on earth, following the correct path of the community of the Prophet Abraham (Millat Ibrāhīm) referenced in multiple Qur’anic verses and outlined as a theological project for action by al-Maqdisi in a lengthy book of that name that has had a profound influence on the formation of modern Sunni jihadism. Instead of seeing Boko Haram, particularly under Shekau’s leadership, as a “Salafi” or “jihadi-Salafi” group, Thurston argues it is a case study of how a group that at one point in its history adhered to Salafism can move away from and beyond it. In the case of Shekau and his “post-Salafism,” he writes, the group, like Islamic State, has shifted away from the Salafi canon and toward a jihadism that uses only stripped-down elements from the canon and does so solely to propagate a militaristic form of jihad. Even when referencing historical religious authorities such as Ibn Taymiyya, Thurston points out, Boko Haram and Islamic State leaders and members often do so through the lens of modern Sunni jihadi ideologues like Juhay- man al-‘Utaybi, al-Maqdisi, and Abu Mus‘ab al-Zarqawi, figures who have come to form a Sunni jihadi canon of texts, intellectuals, and ideologues. Shekau, in short, has given up canonical Salafism and moved toward a more bombastic and scholastically more heterodox and less-Salafi-than- jihadi creed of political violence. Thurston also pushes back against the often crude stereotyping of Af- rican Islamic traditions and movements that sees African Muslims as being defined by their “syncretic” mix of traditional African religious traditions and “orthodox” Islam, the latter usually a stand-in for “Arab” and “Middle Eastern” Islam. Islam and Islamic movements in Africa have developed in social and political environments that are not mirrors to the dominant models of the Arab world (in particular, Egypt). He convincingly points out that analysis of all forms of African Islamic social and political mobi- lization through a Middle East and Egypt-heavy lens obscures much more than it elucidates. The book includes useful glossaries of key individuals and Arabic terms referenced in the text as well as a translation of a sermon by the late, revered Salafi scholar Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani that is part of the mainstream Salafi canon. Extensive in its coverage of the his- tory, evolution, and sociopolitical and religious development of Salafism in Nigeria as well as the key role played by Saudi Salafi universities and religious institutions and quasi-state NGOs, the book expands the schol- arly literature on Salafism, Islam in Africa, and political Islam and Islamic social movements. It also contributing to ongoing debates and discussions on approaches to the study of the role of texts and textual traditions in the formation of individual and communal religious identity. Christopher AnzaloneResearch Fellow, International Security ProgramBelfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University& PhD candidate, Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University

The global spread of Salafism, though it began in the 1960s and 1970s, only started to attract significant attention from scholars and analysts outside of Islamic studies as well as journalists, politicians, and the general public following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks perpetrated by Al-Qaeda Central. After the attacks, Salafism—or, as it was pejoratively labeled by its critics inside and outside of the Islamic tradition, “Wahhabism”—was accused of being the ideological basis of all expressions of Sunni militancy from North America and Europe to West and East Africa, the Arab world, and into Asia. According to this narrative, Usama bin Laden, Ayman al-Za- wahiri, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and other Sunni jihadis were merely putting into action the commands of medieval ‘ulama such as Ibn Taymiyya, the eighteenth century Najdi Hanbali Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab, and modern revolutionary ideologues like Sayyid Qutb and ‘Abdullah ‘Azzam. To eradicate terrorism, you must eliminate or neuter Salafism, say its critics. The reality, of course, is far more complex than this simplistic nar- rative purports. Salafism, though its adherents share the same core set of creedal beliefs and methodological approaches toward the interpretation of the Qur’an and hadith and Sunni legal canon, comes in many forms, from the scholastic and hierarchical Salafism of the ‘ulama in Saudi Arabia and other Muslim majority countries to the decentralized, self-described Salafi groups in Europe and North America who cluster around a single char- ismatic preacher who often has limited formal religious education. What unifies these different expressions of Salafism is a core canon of religious and legal texts and set of scholars who are widely respected and referenced in Salafi circles. Thurston grounds his fieldwork and text-based analysis of Salafism in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and home to one of the world’s largest single Muslim national populations, through the lens of this canon, which he defines as a “communally negotiated set of texts that is governed by rules of interpretation and appropriation” (1). He argues fur- ther that in the history of Nigerian Salafism, one can trace the major stages that the global Salafi movement has navigated as it spread from the Arab Middle East to what are erroneously often seen as “peripheral” areas of the Islamic world, Africa and parts of Asia. The book is based on extensive fieldwork in Nigeria including interviews with key Nigerian Salafi scholars and other leading figures as well as a wide range of textual primary sourc- es including British and Nigerian archival documents, international and national news media reports, leaked US embassy cables, and a significant number of religious lectures and sermons and writings by Nigerian Salafis in Arabic and Hausa. In Chapter One, Thurston argues that the Salafi canon gives individ- ual and groups of Salafis a sense of identity and membership in a unique and, to them, superior religious community that is linked closely to their understanding and reading of sacred history and the revered figures of the Prophet Muhammad and the Ṣaḥāba. Salafism as an intellectual current, theology, and methodological approach is transmitted through this can- on which serves not only as a vehicle for proselytization but also a rule- book through which the boundaries of what is and is not “Salafism” are determined by its adherents and leading authorities. The book’s analytical framework and approach toward understanding Salafism, which rests on seeing it as a textual tradition, runs counter to the popular but problematic tendency in much of the existing discussion and even scholarly literature on Salafism that defines it as a literalist, one-dimensional, and puritani- cal creed with a singular focus on the Qur’an and hadith canon. Salafis, Thurston argues, do not simply derive religious and legal rulings in linear fashion from the Qur’an and Prophetic Sunna but rather engage in a co- herent and uniform process of aligning today’s Salafi community with a set of normative practices and beliefs laid out by key Salafi scholars from the recent past. Thurston divides the emergence of a distinct “Salafi” current within Sunnis into two phases. The first stretches from 1880 to 1950, as Sun- ni scholars from around the Muslim-majority world whose approaches shared a common hadith-centered methodology came into closer contact. The second is from the 1960s through the present, as key Salafi institutions (such as the Islamic University of Medina and other Saudi Salafi bodies) were founded and began attracting and (perhaps most importantly) fund- ing and sponsoring Sunni students from countries such as Nigeria to come study in Saudi Arabia, where they were deeply embedded in the Salafi tra- dition before returning to their home countries where, in turn, they spread Salafism among local Muslims. Nigeria’s Muslim-majority north, as with other regions such as Yemen’s northern Sa‘ada governorate, proved to be a fertile ground for Salafism in large part because it enabled local Muslims from more humble social backgrounds to challenge the longtime domi- nance of hereditary ruling families and the established religious class. In northern Nigeria the latter was and continues to be dominated by Sufi or- ders and their shaykhs whose long-running claim to communal leadership faced new and substantive theological and resource challenges following the return of Nigerian seminary students from Saudi Arabia’s Salafi scho- lastic institutions in the 1990s and early 2000s. In Chapters Two and Three, Thurston traces the history of Nigerian and other African students in Saudi Arabia, which significantly expanded following the 1961 founding of the Islamic University of Medina (which remains the preeminent Salafi seminary and university in the world) and after active outreach across the Sunni Muslim world by the Saudi govern- ment and Salafi religious elite to attract students through lucrative funding and scholarship packages. The process of developing an African Salafism was not one-dimensional or imposed from the top-down by Saudi Salafi elites, but instead saw Nigerian and other African Salafi students partici- pate actively in shaping and theorizing Salafi da‘wa that took into account the specifics of each African country and Islamic religious and social envi- ronment. In Nigeria and other parts of West and East Africa, this included considering the historically dominant position of Sufi orders and popular practices such as devotion to saints and grave and shrine visitation. African and Saudi Salafis also forged relationships with local African partners, in- cluding powerful political figures such as Ahmadu Bello and his religious adviser Abubakar Gumi, by attracting them with the benefits of establishing ties with wealthy international Islamic organizations founded and backed by the Saudi state, including the Muslim World League. Nigerian Salafis returning from their studies in Saudi Arabia actively promoted their Salafi canon among local Muslims, waging an aggressive proselytization campaign that sought to chip away at the dominance of traditional political and religious elites, the Sufi shaykhs. This process is covered in Chapter Four. Drawing on key sets of legal and exegetical writ- ings by Ibn Taymiyya, Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab, and other Salafi scholars, Nigerian Salafis sought to introduce a framework—represented by the canon—through which their students and adherents approach re- ligious interpretation and practice. By mastering one’s understanding and ability to correctly interpret scripture and the hadith, Salafis believe, one will also live a more ethical life based on a core set of “Salafi” principles that govern not only religious but also political, social, and economic life. Salaf- ism, Thurston argues, drawing on the work of Terje Østebø on Ethiopian Salafism, becomes localized within a specific environment.As part of their da‘wa campaigns, Nigerian Salafis have utilized media and new technology to debate their rivals and critics as well as to broad- en their own influence over Nigerian Muslims and national society more broadly, actions analyzed in Chapter Five. Using the Internet, video and audio recorded sermons and religious lectures, books and pamphlets, and oral proselytization and preaching, Nigerian Salafis, like other Muslim ac- tivists and groups, see in media and technology an extension of the phys- ical infrastructure provided by institutions such as mosques and religious schools. This media/cyber infrastructure is as, if not increasingly more, valuable as the control of physical space because it allows for the rapid spread of ideas beyond what would have historically been possible for local religious preachers and missionaries. Instead of preaching political revo- lution, Nigerian Salafi activists sought to win greater access to the media including radio airtime because they believed this would ultimately lead to the triumph of their religious message despite the power of skeptical to downright hostile local audiences among the Sufi orders and non-Salafis dedicated to the Maliki juridical canon.In the realm of politics, the subject of Chapter Six, Nigeria’s Salafis base their political ideology on the core tenets of the Salafi creed and canon, tenets which cast Salafism as being not only the purest but the only true version of Islam, and require of Salafis to establish moral reform of a way- ward Muslim society. Salafi scholars seek to bring about social, political, and religious reform, which collectively represent a “return” to the Prophet Muhammad’s Islam, by speaking truth to power and advising and repri- manding, as necessary, Muslim political rulers. In navigating the multi-po- lar and complex realm of national and regional politics, Thurston argues, Nigerian Salafi scholars educated in Saudi Arabia unwittingly opened the door to cruder and more extreme, militant voices of figures lacking the same level of study of the Salafi canon or Sunni Islam generally. The most infamous of the latter is “Boko Haram,” the jihadi-insurgent group today based around Lake Chad in Nigeria, Chad, and Niger, which calls itself Jama‘at Ahl al-Sunna li-l-Da‘wa wa-l-Jihad and is led by the bombastic Abubakar Shekau. Boko Haram, under the leadership first of the revivalist preacher Mu- hammad Yusuf and then Shekau, is covered at length in the book’s third and final part, which is composed of two chapters. Yusuf, unlike mainstream Nigerian Salafis, sought to weaponize the Salafi canon against the state in- stead of using it as a tool to bring about desired reforms. Drawing on the writings of influential Arab jihadi ideologues including Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi and the apocalyptic revolutionary Juhayman al-‘Utaybi, the lat- ter of whom participated in the 1979 seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Yusuf cited key Salafi concepts such as al-walā’ min al-mu’minīn wa-l-bara’ ‘an al-kāfirīn (loyalty to the Believers and disavowal of the Disbelievers) and beliefs about absolute monotheism (tawḥīd) as the basis of his revival- ist preaching. Based on these principle, he claimed, Muslims must not only fulfill their ritual duties such as prayer and fasting during Ramadan but also actively fight “unbelief” (kufr) and “apostasy” (ridda) and bring about God’s rule on earth, following the correct path of the community of the Prophet Abraham (Millat Ibrāhīm) referenced in multiple Qur’anic verses and outlined as a theological project for action by al-Maqdisi in a lengthy book of that name that has had a profound influence on the formation of modern Sunni jihadism. Instead of seeing Boko Haram, particularly under Shekau’s leadership, as a “Salafi” or “jihadi-Salafi” group, Thurston argues it is a case study of how a group that at one point in its history adhered to Salafism can move away from and beyond it. In the case of Shekau and his “post-Salafism,” he writes, the group, like Islamic State, has shifted away from the Salafi canon and toward a jihadism that uses only stripped-down elements from the canon and does so solely to propagate a militaristic form of jihad. Even when referencing historical religious authorities such as Ibn Taymiyya, Thurston points out, Boko Haram and Islamic State leaders and members often do so through the lens of modern Sunni jihadi ideologues like Juhay- man al-‘Utaybi, al-Maqdisi, and Abu Mus‘ab al-Zarqawi, figures who have come to form a Sunni jihadi canon of texts, intellectuals, and ideologues. Shekau, in short, has given up canonical Salafism and moved toward a more bombastic and scholastically more heterodox and less-Salafi-than- jihadi creed of political violence. Thurston also pushes back against the often crude stereotyping of Af- rican Islamic traditions and movements that sees African Muslims as being defined by their “syncretic” mix of traditional African religious traditions and “orthodox” Islam, the latter usually a stand-in for “Arab” and “Middle Eastern” Islam. Islam and Islamic movements in Africa have developed in social and political environments that are not mirrors to the dominant models of the Arab world (in particular, Egypt). He convincingly points out that analysis of all forms of African Islamic social and political mobi- lization through a Middle East and Egypt-heavy lens obscures much more than it elucidates. The book includes useful glossaries of key individuals and Arabic terms referenced in the text as well as a translation of a sermon by the late, revered Salafi scholar Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani that is part of the mainstream Salafi canon. Extensive in its coverage of the his- tory, evolution, and sociopolitical and religious development of Salafism in Nigeria as well as the key role played by Saudi Salafi universities and religious institutions and quasi-state NGOs, the book expands the schol- arly literature on Salafism, Islam in Africa, and political Islam and Islamic social movements. It also contributing to ongoing debates and discussions on approaches to the study of the role of texts and textual traditions in the formation of individual and communal religious identity. Christopher AnzaloneResearch Fellow, International Security ProgramBelfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University& PhD candidate, Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University

At the Basement Complex geological province of central Nigeria, in the state of Niger, just northeast of the Bida Sedimentary Basin, there is the character of non-complexity and high uniformity in the local geology over an appreciable linear spread. This appreciation makes it a standard practice to do one-dimensional vertical electrical sounding surveys in the search for groundwater resources at this area with the expectation of reliable results. This seeming “simplicity” means that intense manual labour can be invested in acquiring a large data-field at a local area of survey where resources are not readily available to do a standard two-dimensional survey of the conventional kind. This is especially significant for the proposed area of development at the Gidan Kwano Campus of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Thus, with this awareness and the use of the ABEM Terrameter 4000 equipment, the aim of this study was to do an intense acquisition of one-dimensional electrical resistance and concomitant induced polarization programme for this proposed area of development so as to achieve the objective of garnering information about exploitable groundwater locations before structural developments cover these points up. Typical point-to-point one-dimensional tandem electrical resistance and concomitant induced polarisation surveys were completed along east-west profile lines for about 309 survey stations of the available 441 principal locations of the 4 km2 extent of the proposed new development. After due processing and interpretation of the data-field of this survey, whilst remarking that the induced polarisation data-set was used herein as quality control “refiner” only, clusters of reliable groundwater locations were observed at the southwest end of the 4 km2 areal extent of the proposed new development. It conforms to the dip of the landform and comparatively significant overburden-material thicknesses observed over there. Interestingly, in a twist of serendipity, the series of diagonal subsurface “fault-lines” that connect one promising groundwater prospect with the other, describable by a prominent northeast-southwest dip, aligns exactly with the Kazaure-Karaukarau-Kushaka-Ilesha Schist Belt. In the modern geography setting of the present time, the Kazaure-Karaukarau-Kushaka-Ilesha Schist Belt actually traverses a lengthy diagonal across the landscape of Nigeria, cutting through such Nigerian states as Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Kwara, Ekiti, and Osun. There is virtually no surface indicator of this once-prominent schist belt and what this study reveals is its vestigial signature

Cameroon currently hosts around half a million refugees from conflict affected neighbouring countries such as Nigeria and the Central African Republic (CAR). This article focuses on the rights to basic education in terms of access and enrolment for CAR refugee school-aged children who reside in the East Region of Cameroon. Based on a qualitative research approach and a combination of secondary and primary data, powered by a theoretical framework of analysis that is informed by international relations, immigration, children’s education and policy-making theories, the study arrives at important findings and conclusions. The study finds out that the educational challenges of CAR refugee children are multifaced and complex. Many have traumatic experiences and disrupted education. Moreover, they are tasked with adapting to a new educational system and culture. These factors among others have all interacted and intermingled to negatively affect CAR refugee children’s access to primary education in terms of enrolment and girls are excessively more disadvantaged. With this outcome, the paper concludes that the issue of poor access to education of refugee children is not merely due to dysfunctional organs of government or the combination of challenges unfolded in this article but it is also a result of the exclusionary impulses vis-à-vis the phenomenon of ‘refugee as the stranger other’ in many parts of the world, and such a state of affairs no doubt works against inclusionary policies advanced in many international conventions and instruments that give more attention to the protection of these vulnerable groups. Hence, as a way of contributing to evidence-informed policy alternatives, the paper argues that any action towards a sustainable solution must be rights-based, person and human security-centred and tailored towards addressing the dual challenge faced by the refugee child: the helplessness of being a child and the complex challenges of being a refugee.

In the article, the guest editor Piotr Dutkiewicz and editor-in-chief Yuriy M. Pochta introduce the current issue of the journal, interpreting cross-cutting topics such as democratic development and the construction of national identity in the societies of the East and the West. They believe that the most appropriate heuristic explanation for these issues today is the idea that after the end of the Cold War the hopes for the final victory of the liberal democratic project on a global scale ended in disappointment. The end of history never took place, just like the victory of communism did not take place previously. All these years we have been witnessing an imitation of liberalism, the era of which is already over. There is currently a global revolt against the liberal imitation imperative. From this point of view, there is a great interest in articles devoted to Russian-Turkish relations, the place of the Central Asian states in the international rankings of democratic development, the evolution of the political development of the Lebanese Republic, the formation of democratic political regimes in such Eastern European EU member states as Poland and Hungary, the role of parties in the political life of Great Britain and Nigeria, as well as such theoretical and methodological problems of political science as the processes of forming future political leaders, methodology of the study of GR-management and approaches to the study of the political and psychological characteristics of the heads of Russian regions. In general, this issue of the journal pictures the current state of democratic development of Western and non-Western countries in the context of globalization, which is at the stage of transition from American monopolarity to multipolarity, from imitation of the Western liberal-democratic project to the search for its own development projects. The authors believe that from the point of view of Russia and its interests the materials of this issue allow for outlining the prospects for further research on ways to build the most effective relations with world and regional powers, the possibilities of protecting its sovereignty and its geopolitical interests, and the mechanisms for forming the Russian post-Soviet identity at the national and regional levels.

KrisEnergy Pumps Cambodia’s First Crude in 17 Years A Cambodian concession has commenced production after years of delays in a venture between Singapore’s KrisEnergy and the government. The crude comes from oil fields in Block A, comprising 3083 km2 of the Khmer basin in the oil-rich Gulf of Thailand, off the southwestern coast of Sihanoukville. The concession will progress in phases once new wells are commissioned and completed. Kelvin Tang, chief executive of KrisEnergy’s Cambodian operations, called the 29 December event “an important strategic milestone” for the company, while Prime Minister Hun Sen hailed the first extraction as “a new achievement for Cambodia’s economy” and “a huge gift for our nation.” Ironbark Australian Exploration Well Declared Dry; Co-Owner Stocks Plummet BP has come up dry at its Ironbark-1 exploration well, the anticipated multi-trillion-scf prospect off the west Australian Pilbara coast. The disappointing prospect was once seen as a potential gas supplier to the emptying North West Shelf (NWS) LNG plant, where BP is a co-owner, within 5 to 10 years. After 2 months of drilling to a total depth of 5618 m, “no significant hydrocarbon shows were encountered in any of the target sands,” according to co-owner New Zealand Oil and Gas (NZOG). Petrorecôncavo Buys Petrobras’ Onshore Bahian Stake for $30 Million Brazilian operator Petrobras on 23 December signed a contract with independent producer Petrorecôncavo to sell its entire stake in 12 onshore E&P fields, the Remanso Cluster, in the state of Bahia. The sale value for the fields was $30 million; $4 million was paid on signing, $21 million at the closing of the transaction, and $5 million will be paid 1 year after that. The Remanso Cluster comprises the onshore fields of Brejinho, Canabrava, Cassarongongo, Fazenda Belém, Gomo, Mata de São João, Norte Fazenda Caruaçu, Remanso, Rio dos Ovos, Rio Subaúma, São Pedro, and Sesmaria. Zion Spuds the Israeli Megiddo-Jezreel #2 Well On 6 January, Zion Oil and Gas officially spudded the Megiddo­Jezreel #2 on its 99,000­acre Megiddo­Jezreel license area in Israel. “With unique operating conditions in the COVID­19 environment, our crews have performed an amazing task,” Zion CEO Robert Dunn said. “Mobilizing a rig into a new coun­try during a pandemic and rigging up is the most challenging part of the drilling operation,” Zion’s vice president of operations, Monty Kness, added. Exxon Declares a Dud at Second Guyana Well Exxon Mobil said on 15 January that its exploration well in the prolific Stabroek Block off Guyana’s coast did not find oil in its target area. Exxon, which operates the Stabroek Block in a consortium with Hess and China’s CNOOC, has made 18 discoveries in the area in 5 years, totaling more than 8 billion BOE, for a combined potential for producing up to 750,000 B/D of crude. The Hassa­1 exploration well was the giant’s second setback to its drilling campaign in recent months. Heirs Holdings Buys 45% of Shell Nigeria’s OML 17 Field Shell Nigeria announced on 15 January it had completed a $533 million sale of its stakes in an onshore OML 17 oil field in Nigeria to African strategic investor Heirs Holdings, Nigeria’s largest publicly listed conglomerate. The deal is one of the largest oil and gas financings in Africa in more than a decade, with a financing component of $1.1 billion provided by a consortium of global and regional banks and investors. Heirs Holdings, in partnership with Transcorp, one of the largest power producers in Nigeria with 2000 MW of installed capacity, purchased 45% stake in the field. It acquired the stakes of Shell, Total, and Eni to further its expansion into the oil and gas industry. Apex Discovers Oil in Egypt’s Western Desert Privately held independent E&P firm Apex International Energy, backed in part by UK energy investment firm Blue Water Energy, on 18 January announced a discovery in the Southeast Meleiha Concession (SEM) in the western desert of Egypt. The discovery was made at the SEMZ-11X well located 10 km west of Zarif field, the nearest producing field. The well was drilled to a total depth of 5,700 ft and encountered 65 ft of oil pay in the Cretaceous sandstones of the Bahariya and Abu Roash G formations. Testing of the Bahariya resulted in a peak rate of 2,100 B/D with no water. Additional uphole pay exists in the Bahariya and Abu Roash G formations that can be added to the production stream in the future. Kosmos Announces Oil at Winterfell Well Dallas-based E&P independent Kosmos Energy announced on 19 January an oil discovery in deepwater US Gulf of Mexico. The Winterfell discovery well, the product of infrastructure-led exploration (ILX), was drilled to a total depth of approximately 23,000 ft and is located in approximately 5,300 ft of water. This subsalt Upper Miocene prospect in off-shore Louisiana encountered approximately 85 ft of net oil pay in two intervals. ILX exploration, which has featured prominently in upstream operators’ portfolios in recent years of relatively low oil prices, is exploration around producing hubs that can be hooked up to those facilities easily and cheaply. The development sidesteps the need for costly and time-consuming individual hub construction. Equinor Gets Permit To Drill North Sea Wildcat Well The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has granted Equinor a drilling permit for wildcat well 31/11-1 S in the North Sea offshore Norway, 62 km south of the Troll field. The drilling program is the first exploration well to be drilled in production license 785 S, awarded on 6 February 2015 (APA 2014). Operator Equinor and Total E&P Norge are 50/50 partners in the license, which consists of parts of Blocks 26/2 and 31/11. Petrobras, ExxonMobil Hit Hydrocarbons at Urissanê Well, Offshore Brazil Brazilian state-owned Petrobras announced on 29 January it had discovered hydrocarbons in a well located in the Campos Basin presalt off Brazil’s coast of Campos dos Gotyacaze in the State of Rio de Janeiro. Well 1-BRSA-1377-RJS (informally called Urissanê) is located in Block C-M-411, at a depth of 2950 m approximately 200 km offshore. Petrobras, which operates the block in a 50/50 partnership with Exxon Mobil, said it would analyze the well data to better target exploratory activities and assess the potential of the discovery. BP Offloads 20% Share of Oman’s Block 61 To PTTEP Marking another significant step in its divestment program, BP will sell a 20% participating interest in Oman’s 3950 km2 Block 61 in central Oman to Thailand’s national PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) for $2.59 billion. BP will remain operator of the block, holding a 40% interest.‎ The sale comprises $2.45 billion payable on completion and $140 million payable contingent on preagreed conditions.‎ After the sale, BP will hold 40% interest in Block 61, while OQ holds 30%, PTTEP ‎20%, and ‎Petronas 10%.‎ Block 61 contains the largest tight gas development in the Middle East.

This study investigated the factors confronting the effective implementation of humanitarian services by non- governmental organizations (NGOs) in IDP camps in North-East Nigeria. Using the discourse analysis to analyze qualitative data collected through participant observation, informal discussion and interview from 42 officials selected through snow-ball sampling techniques in NEMA recognized and approved camps. Among other findings, it was revealed that in terms of jurisdictions, some of the NGOs are limited in operation, while others are versatile but limited in service delivery; also, policy and guiding principles of the various NGOs has created duplication of the nature of service and role conflict. It was recommended majorly that there is need for the government of Nigeria to take the center stage in the management of programmes and activities of humanitarian services in-line with international best practices. This will help to create a central coordination and administration of long-term programmes for the IDPs.

Entomological data gathering is essential for monitoring malaria vector disease risks and selection of appropriate interventions for the protection of exposed human populations. This study assessed the relative abundance, species composition, and sporozoite infection rates of indoor resting An. gambiae s.l. malaria vectors in six communities across 3 Local Government Areas in Kwara State, Nigeria. Total number of mosquitoes collected by Pyrethrum Spray Catch method over a period of eighth months were correlated with rainfall values in the area. Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite infection rates and sibling species identification of collected An. gambiae s.l. mosquito samples were determined by ELISA and PCR respectively. Results showed a positive correlation (r = 0.639, p = 0.08) between rainfall and numbers of Anopheles mosquitoes in the study areas. The overall composition of the An. gambiae s.l sibling species in the collected samples from all the six communities showed the predominance of An. gambiae s.s 298 (75.3%) compared to An. coluzzii 94(23.7%) and An. arabiensis 4(1.0%). However, the sporozoite infection rate of An. coluzzii (22.3%) was higher compared to An. gambiae s.s (12.8%) and An. arabiensis (0%). Mean numbers of An. gambiae s.l mosquitoes were significantly higher in Ilorin west LGA compared to Asa (F = 17.81, P < 0.001) and Ilorin East LGAs (F = 22.81, P < 0.001). Sporozoite rates of both An. gambiae s.s and An. coluzzii sibling species were higher in Ilorin West communities (Aiyede 21%, Ogundele 32%) compared to Asa (Idi Emi 11.1%, Lasoju 5.1%) and Ilorin East (Oke Oyi 2.4%, Ote-efan 0%) communities. Prevalence of sporozoite-infected An. gambiae s.s and An. coluzzii indoors highlight the need for effective insecticide treated bed-nets interventions to protect the residents from malaria risks. Higher numbers of An. coluzzii in the swampy rice marshed Ilorin West LGA communities require larval source management as an additional strategy for effective malaria vector control.

This study investigated the impact of ruga policy on national integration in Nigeria. The study was carried out in South-South, South-East, South-West and North-Central geo-political zones of Nigeria. The sample consist of 4,000 literate adults who were composed through accidental sampling technique from markets, motor parks and federal secretariats in Port Harcourt, Owerri, Lagos and Makurdi. Relevant data for answering the research questions were collected from the sample through the administration of copies of Ruga and National Integration Challenges Questionnaire by the researchers and six research assistants. The reliability co-efficient of this questionnaire was established with 50 subjects from University of Port Harcourt through the Cronbach Alpha method and it was 0.81, 0.80, 0.87 and 0.83 for the three sub-sections of the instrument and the overall. Data analysis was carried out with mean and standard deviation test statistics. The results show that ruga policy to a very great extent impact negatively on peaceful co-existence, and sense of trust among ethnic groups. It also heightens fear and anxiety in the country. These findings were discussed, the counselling implications stated and some recommendations were also made. One of the recommendations is that the federal government should cancel the ruga policy in Nigeria.

Background: Workers in slaughterhouses engaging in unhygienic practices create conducive environments for zoonoses and meat contamination. Knowledge of hygiene practices and their determinants provides evidence for the design of targetedinterventions.Objectives: We investigated knowledge and determinants of hygiene practices among workers in slaughterhouses and assessed slaughterhouse facilities in Abakaliki.Methods: Workers in the Central Meat Market abattoir and Slaughter slab Abakaliki were interviewed in a cross-sectional quantitative study to ascertain their knowledge and hygiene practices while abattoir facilities were assessed using a checklist. Associations were analysed with Chi-square while predictors were determined using binary logistic model.Results: We interviewed 188 workers 75.5% and 85.6% of whom had good knowledge and good hygiene practices respectively. However, hand-washing before and after handling meat (44.1%), cleaning work surfaces with soap and water (45.2%) and sanitary disposal of waste (6.9%) were suboptimal. Knowledge of good hygiene practice was a predictor of good hygiene practice (AOR: 4.6, 95% CI: 2.0-11.3, p=0.001). Well water and borehole were present in both slaughterhouses and cold rooms were available in Central Meat market abattoir.Conclusions: The level of good knowledge was high and this was a determinant of good hygienic practices. Training on hygiene practices is recommended to prevent meat contamination and zoonoses. Keywords: Knowledge; Hygiene Practices; Abattoir; Slaughter slab; Determinants; Ebonyi; Nigeria.

Abstract Aim To determine signs and symptoms associated with teething, parental beliefs about teething, and the effects of socioeconomic status on teething in Nigerian children. Methods and Materials A cross-sectional study consisting of 1,013 mothers of children between the ages four to 36 months who visited the immunization clinics at the Community Health Centres in Ife Central and Ife East Local Government Areas. Data was analyzed using STATA (Intercooled release 9) for Windows. Results A total of 765 mothers (75.5%) reported systemic signs and symptoms in their children. Fever (51.8%), diarrhea (12.5%), and vomiting (2.9%) were the most prevalent symptoms and signs reported. Teething problems were reported by 60% of mothers from a high socioeconomic class, as well as 76.7% and 77.9% from middle and low socioeconomic classes, respectively. Interestingly, 65.5% of mothers believed teething should be accompanied with systemic signs and symptoms such as fever (42.1%), diarrhea (13.9%), and vomiting (0.6%). No significant difference was noted between breastfeeding status, gender of the child, and reported systemic signs and symptoms noticed by the mothers. Conclusion Most mothers in the study reported signs and symptoms adduced to teething in their children irrespective of their beliefs. Fever ranked highest of the signs and symptoms reported. Mothers of children from the high socioeconomic class reported fewer teething symptoms. Breastfeeding status and gender of the child had no effect on teething problems in the children studied. Clinical Significance Most signs and symptoms adduced to teething by parents may actually be due to underlying infections. Thus, there is a need to rule out occult infection during the tooth eruption period. Citation Oziegbe EO, Folayan MO, Adekoya-Sofowora CA, Esan TA, Owotade FJ. Teething Problems and Parental Beliefs in Nigeria. J Contemp Dent Pract 2009 July; (10)4:075-082.

Eni Starts Area 1 Production off Mexico via MODEC FPSO MODEC said first oil has flowed through FPSO MIAMTE MV34 operating in the Offshore Area 1 block in the Bay of Campeche off Mexico. The contractor was appointed by Eni Mexico for the supply, charter, and operation of the FPSO in the Eni-operated Offshore Area 1 block in 2018. The charter contract will run for an initial 15 years, with options for extension every year thereafter up to 5 additional years. Moored in a water depth of approximately 32 m some 10 km off Mexico’s coast, the FPSO is capable of handling 90,000 B/D of oil, 75 MMcf/D of gas, and 120,000 B/D of water injection with a storage capacity of 700,000 bbl of oil. The FPSO boasts a disconnectable tower yoke mooring system, a first-of-its-kind design in the industry. The system was developed to moor the FPSO in shallow water, while also allowing the unit to disconnect its mooring and depart the area to avoid winter storms and hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico. The mooring system was developed by MODEC subsidiary SOFEC Inc. The mooring jacket was fabricated in Altamira, Mexico. Eni Starts Production from Ndungu EP Development Italy’s Eni has started production from the Ndungu Early Production (EP) development in Block 15/06 of the Angolan deep offshore, via the Ngoma FPSO. With an expected production rate in the range of 20,000 B/D, the project will sustain the plateau of the Ngoma, a 100,000-B/D, zero-discharge, and zero-process-flaring FPSO, upgraded in 2021 to minimize emissions. A further exploration and delineation campaign will be performed in Q2 2022 to assess the full potential of the overall assets of Ndungu. Ndungu EP is the third startup achieved by Eni Angola in Block 15/06 in the past 7 months, after Cuica Early Production and the Cabaca North Development Project. Block 15/06 is operated by Eni Angola with a 36.84% share. Sonangol Pesquisa e Produção (36.84%) and SSI Fifteen Ltd. (26.32%) comprise the rest of the joint venture. Aramco Discovers Natural Gas in Four Regions Saudi Aramco has discovered natural gas fields in four regions of the kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported, citing Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. The fields were found in the Empty Quarter desert located in the central area of the kingdom, near its northern border and in the eastern region, he said, according to SPA. Saudi Arabia wants to increase gas production and boost the share of natural gas in its energy mix to meet growing electricity consumption and to make more crude available for export. The minister said an unspecified number of fields were discovered and he mentioned five by name: Shadoon, in the central region; Shehab and Shurfa, in the Empty Quarter in the southeastern region; Umm Khansar, near the northern border with Iraq; and Samna in the eastern region. Two of the gas fields, Samna and Umm Khansar, were said to be “nonconventional” and possibly shale finds. Lukoil Completes Area 4 Deal in Mexico Russian producer Lukoil has completed a deal to become a lead stakeholder in an Area 4 shallow-water asset adjacent to Tabasco and Campeche in Mexico. Under the deal, Lukoil has acquired a 50% stake in the asset from US independent Fieldwood Energy, which filed for US bankruptcy protection in August 2020, for $685 million. The original deal was priced at $435 million; the additional $250 million is related to expenditures Fieldwood incurred since 1 January 2021. Fieldwood committed to invest $477 million to increase oil production from the Ichalkil and Pokoch fields from the current level of 25,000 B/D to a plateau level of 115,000 B/D. Situated in water depths between 35 and 45 m, the fields’ recoverable hydrocarbon reserves amount to 564 million BOE, more than 80% of which is crude oil. Production started in Q4 2021; current average oil production has exceeded 25,000 B/D. The approved work program includes drilling three development wells (two on Ichalkil and one on Pokoch), upgrading three production platforms, and performing seismic reprocessing and petrophysical studies. The remaining 50% stake in Area 4 is held by operator PetroBal, a subsidiary of Mexico’s GrupoBal. Petrobras Sells Polo Norte Capixaba Field Cluster In line with its strategy to concentrate resources on deepwater and ultradeepwater assets, Brazil’s Petrobras has sold 100% of its interest in Norte Capixaba cluster to Seacrest Exploração e Produção de Petróleo Ltda for $544 million, including a $66-million contingent payment. The cluster comprises four producing fields—Cancã, Fazenda Alegre, Fazenda São Rafael, and Fazenda Santa Luzia—and produced 6,470 BOE/D in 2021. The deal also includes the Norte Capixaba Terminal (TNC) and all production facilities. NewMed Targets Morocco Market Entry Israel-based NewMed Energy, formerly Delek Drilling, has identified Morocco as “a country with enormous geological and commercial potential,” in particular the Moroccan coastal areas in the Mediterranean and North Atlantic. The announcement comes a day after the Moroccan Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, and his Israeli counterpart, Orna Barbivai, signed an MOU aimed at promoting investments and exchanges between the two countries in the digital design, food, automotive, aviation, textile, water technologies and renewable energies, medical equipment, and the pharmaceutical industries. In September 2021, the Israeli oil and gas exploration company obtained from the Moroccan ministry the exploration and study rights of the Dakhla Atlantic Block, which has an area of about 109000 km2. ExxonMobil Sells Nigerian Assets to Seplat ExxonMobil has agreed to sell its shallow-water assets in Nigeria to Seplat Energy for $1.28 billion plus a contingent consideration of $300 million. Seplat said it is acquiring a 40% operating stake in four oil leases to nearly triple its annual net production to 146,000 BOE/D. The deal also includes the Qua Iboe export terminal and a 51% interest in the Bonny River Terminal and natural gas liquids recovery plants at EAP and Oso. It does not include any of ExxonMobil’s deepwater fields in Nigeria. TotalEnergies Discovers Large Oil Field off Namibia TotalEnergies has made a significant discovery of light oil with associated gas on the Venus prospect, located in block 2913B in the Orange Basin, offshore southern Namibia. The Venus 1-X well encountered approximately 84 m of net oil pay in a good-quality Lower Cretaceous reservoir. The find’s potential reserves are estimated at 2 billion bbl of oil. “This discovery offshore Namibia and the very promising initial results prove the potential of this play in the Orange Basin, on which TotalEnergies owns an important position both in Namibia and South Africa,” said Kevin McLachlan, senior vice president exploration at TotalEnergies. “A comprehensive coring and logging program has been completed. This will enable the preparation of appraisal operations designed to assess the commerciality of this discovery.” Block 2913B covers approximately 8215 km2 in deep offshore Namibia. TotalEnergies is the operator with a 40% working interest, alongside QatarEnergy (30%), Impact Oil and Gas (20%), and NAMCOR (10%). CNPC Scoops Ishpingo Drilling Contract The first drilling contract at the Ishpingo oil field near Ecuador’s Yasuni National Park has been awarded to China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC), Energy Minister Juan Carlos Bermeo told Reuters. Following the approval of a new hydrocarbon law and legislation, Ecuador plans to move forward with auctions and competitive processes for securing foreign and domestic capital for oil and gas exploration, production, transportation, and refining projects. The first drilling campaign to start after an environmental license was granted for the sensitive area will involve 40 wells over the next 18 months. It will focus on the field’s allowed zone without touching an area protected by a court ruling that has prevented extending drilling. Ishpingo is the latest part of the ITT-43 oil field in Ecuador’s Amazonia region to start drilling after Tambococha and Tiputini. It is expected to produce heavy oil to be added to the nation’s output of flagship Napo crude, Bermeo said. BP Brings Hershel Expansion Project On Line in US GOM BP has successfully started production from the Herschel Expansion project in the Gulf of Mexico—the first of four major projects scheduled to be delivered globally in 2022. Phase 1 comprises development of a new subsea production system and the first of up to three wells tied to the Na Kika platform in the Mississippi Canyon area. At its peak, this first well is expected to increase platform annual gross production by an estimated 10,600 BOE/D. The BP-operated well was drilled to a depth of approximately 19,000 ft and is located southeast of the Na Kika platform, approximately 140 miles off the coast of New Orleans. The project provides infrastructure for future well tie-in opportunities. BP and Shell each hold a 50% working interest in the development. Petrobras Kicks off Gulf of Mexico Asset Sales Petrobras has begun an asset sale program in the Gulf of Mexico, in line with the company’s strategy of debt reduction and pivot toward Brazilian deepwater production. The package for sale includes the company’s 20% stake in MP Gulf of Mexico (MPGoM) which holds ownership stakes in 15 fields in partnership with Murphy Oil. In addition to partnership-operated fields, MPGoM owns nonoperated interests in Occidental’s Lucius, Kosmos’ Kodiak, Shell’s Habanero, and Chevron’s St. Malo fields. During the first half of 2021, Petrobras’ share of production was 11,300 BOE/D. ExxonMobil Liza Phase 2 Underway off Guyana ExxonMobil started production of Liza Phase 2, Guyana’s second offshore oil development on the Stabroek Block; total production capacity is now more than 340,000 B/D in the 7 years since the country’s first discovery. Production at the Liza Unity FPSO is expected to reach its target of 220,000 bbl of oil later this year. The Stabroek Block’s recoverable resource base is estimated at more than 10 billion BOE. The current resource has the potential to support up to 10 projects. ExxonMobil anticipates that four FPSOs with a capacity of more than 800,000 B/D will be in operation on the block by year-end 2025. Payara, the third project in the block, is expected to produce approximately 220,000 BOPD using the Prosperity FPSO vessel, currently under construction. The field development plan and application for environmental authorization for the Yellowtail project, the fourth project in the block, have been submitted for government and regulatory approvals. The Liza Unity arrived in Guyana in October 2021. It is moored in water depth of about 1650 m and will store around 2 million bbl of crude. ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd. is the operator and holds 45% interest. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds 30% interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Ltd. holds 25%. Dragon Finds Oil in Gulf of Suez UAE’s Dragon Oil has discovered oil in the Gulf of Suez, according to a statement from the Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. The field contains potential reserves of around 100 million bbl inside the northeastern region of Ramadan. That estimate makes it one of the largest oil finds in the region over the past 2 decades. Development plans were not reported but reserve numbers could expand, the ministry said. The oil field is the first discovery by Dragon Oil since it acquired 100% of BP’s Gulf of Suez Petroleum assets in 2019. Dragon Oil, wholly owned by Emirates National Oil Co., holds 100% interest in East Zeit Bay off the southern Gulf of Suez region. The 93-km2 block lies in shallow waters of 10 to 40 m.