Groundwater serves as a vital source of drinking water for millions worldwide, particularly in regions with limited access to treated surface water. However, its quality is increasingly compromised by contamination from heavy metals (HMs), which originate from both geogenic and anthropogenic sources. These metals pose significant non-carcinogenic health risks due to their persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity even at trace concentrations. This study evaluates the non-carcinogenic health risks associated with the ingestion of groundwater contaminated by heavy metals in the selected study area. Concentrations of key heavy metals including arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) were determined using standard analytical techniques. Spatial distribution patterns were analyzed to identify contamination hotspots. Health risk assessments were conducted for both children and adults using established models that calculate hazard quotients (HQ) and hazard indices (HI). The findings reveal varying degrees of exposure risk across age groups and sampling locations, underscoring the urgent need for targeted public health interventions and sustainable groundwater management strategies. This research contributes valuable data to environmental health science and supports policy development aimed at mitigating heavy metal exposure through ingestion pathways.

This study is on factors responsible for child abuse and neglect among secondary school students in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo state. The total population for the study is 200 students of Oredo local government of Edo state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies The major instrument used for this study was the questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed and validated by experts in the department of curriculum and instructional technology, faculty of education, university of Benin, Benin City, Edo state. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques such as tables, frequencies counts, and simple percentage. Findings of the study reveals that most children with single parent are vulnerable to sexual abuse, they are also likely to have issues with their relationship in future. It was also reveal that parent’s poor standard of living can cause harm to a child’s mental development. It was recommended that voluntary organization for the prevention and protection against child abuse should periodically organize in-house seminars, workshop and other educative programs in villages, quarters to enlighten parents and children on the dangers of child street hawking and other forms of child abuse.

Undergraduate students have different perceptions of the use of experiments in the teaching of cell biology.This study aimed to identify some of the student's opinions about the use of the us of experiments in the teaching of cell biology. A descriptive survey research design was utilized and the study was guided by seven research questions. The research was conducted at the University of Benin in Edo state, Nigeria. A total of 150 undergraduate students were selected from three departments at the University of Benin. Plant Biology and Biotechnology (50 students), Animal and Environmental Biology (50 students), and Curriculum and Instructional Technology (50 students). The sampling technique employed was simple random sampling. The data were collected with a questionnaire instrument and analyzed using simple percentages and means. The findings indicated that students expressed working with live cells and observing their behavior was enjoyable. The results also show that there are available materials in the experiment of bacterial cell-like cell culture dishes, Petri dishes, pipettes, etc. Also, results show that undergraduate cell biology students face challenges such as teaching methods used by the lecturer and lack of learning aids. Additionally, some factors influence students' perceptions such as the amount of time required to complete the experiment, the level of difficulty of the experiment, etc. In conclusion, it is therefore recommended that teachers should adapt their teaching methods, increase their knowledge of conducting experiments, allocate suf icient time, and provide adequate learning aids. Additionally, researchers recommend that teachers ensure proper preparation and caution before conducting experiments

The work embraces the use of inorganic geochemistry for stratigraphic study. In order to further ascertain the sediments provenance, paleo-redox, tectonic settings, and sandstone classification, ditch cutting samples from the X-well on the Niger Delta Basin were collected. According to the geochemical results, the trace element ratios of V/Cr and U/Th indicated an oxic environment for deposition. The source of the sediments was felsic rock, as shown by bivariate plots of Ni vs Tio2, La/Sc vs Th/Co, and trace elemental ratios of Th/Sc, Th/Co, Cr/Th, and La/Sc.The graphs of K2O/Na2O versus SiO2 and Log (K2O/Na2O) versus Log (SiO2/Al2O3). were dominated by the passive margin zone. The sediments were classified by various chemical sandstone classification systems as sublitharenite, Fe-rich sand, and very little quartzarenite.

Cardiovascular disorders, particularly hypertension, continue to pose major health challenges worldwide, necessitating the search for new therapeutic agents with improved efficacy and safety. Imidazole-based compounds have gained attention due to their diverse pharmacological profiles, including notable antibacterial, antifungal and antihypertensive properties. This study employed a computational screening approach to evaluate selected imidazole derivatives for potential antihypertensive activity, followed by the synthesis of a lead derivative (2,4,5-triphenyl-1H-imidazole). Molecular docking was conducted using PyRx (AutoDock Vina) to predict binding affinities and interaction profiles with key hypertension-related protein targets1O86, 4ZUD, 5XPR and 6L88). Several screened derivatives demonstrated strong binding affinities comparable to or higher than the reference drug, suggesting potential inhibitory activity through similar interaction mechanisms at the active site residues. In particular, 2,4,5-triphenyl-1H-imidazole, 1-benzoyl- 4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazole, and 2-(2-methoxyphenyl)-4,5 diphenyl-1H-imidazole showed the most favorable binding energies and stable protein–ligand interactions across all target proteins. ADMET profiling further indicated acceptable pharmacokinetic behavior for these candidates. The synthesized 2,4,5-triphenyl-1H-imidazole was obtained in a yield of 81.28% and was subjected to preliminary characterization, exhibiting a melting point of 269–272 °C.. The findings highlight promising imidazole structural features with potential antihypertensive relevance and support further synthesis, and biological evaluation of these compounds to advance drug development in hypertension management.

This study examined the impact of audit committee effectiveness on financial reporting quality among one hundred (100) Nigerian listed companies from 2019 to 2024. Despite governance reforms under CAMA (2020) and the NCCG (2018), concerns remain about earnings management and reporting credibility. The study analyzed audit committee attributes, independence, financial expertise, size, meeting frequency, and committee effectiveness, using a quantitative panel design and fixed-effects regression. Financial reporting quality was measured using a composite index covering accrual quality, timeliness, audit opinion quality, and disclosure compliance. Results show that independence, financial expertise, meeting frequency, and committee effectiveness significantly improve financial reporting quality, with financial expertise being the strongest predictor. Audit committee size was not significant. Among control variables, company size and committee independence positively affect reporting quality, while leverage has a negative effect. The study concludes that competence and active engagement enhance governance effectiveness more than structural compliance and recommends strengthening expertise, independence, meeting practices, etc.

This study examines local-state government relations and issues of local government autonomy in Nigeria using Edo State 2010 – 2018. The study adopted the survey design on the foundation to which data were sourced from a sample of 120 respondents. The study adopted the chi-square to aanalyse the research hypotheses. The result shows that there is no significant relationship between local government and state government in Edo State. Secondly, the findings show that there is significant relationship between State Joint Local Government Account and the financial autonomy of Local Government Councils. The study further shows that there is a slight significant relationship between the administrative structures of Local Government Councils and control and manipulations of the State Government. The study recommends that in order to ensure smooth and cordial relationship between the State and the Local Government in the areas of fiscal relations, there is need for either restructuring or total abolition of the State Joint Local Government Account in the South Western Nigeria States. This is to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness and accountability of the Local Government in rural development. In the case of restructuring, the federal Government should re-examine the section that provide for the creation of the State Joint Local Government Account in order to ensure proper monitoring and punishment from the organ that violate the laid down procedure. This could be achieved by the introduction of machinery assessment and supervision of policies and projects that the allocations send to the State Joint Local Government Account is used for. This will largely reduce the extent at which the state Government tamper with the Local Government in the areas of rural development and to a large extent increase the level of autonomy of Local Government of the region. On the other hand, the State Joint Local Government Account could be abolished to ensure that there is no intermediary between the Local Government and The Federal Government in the distribution of allocation. This will enable the Local Government to be responsible and accountable for all her actions and inaction. This will eradicate unjustifiable coordination of the State Joint Local Government Account by the State Government. Hence, if any of these recommendations is being tested, it will go a long way in reducing the over-dependency of the Local Government on the State Government. This will end up strengthening the Local Government in their autonomy, rural development and accountability, and the efficiency and effectiveness in the policy formulation and implementation.

Fish seed production is a fundamental aspect of aquaculture, ensuring the continuous supply of high-quality fish seeds for commercial and subsistence fish farming. This study examined the fish seed production practices in Ovia North-East and Ovia South-West local government areas of Edo State, Nigeria. The objectives were to assess the socio-economic characteristics of fish seed producers, evaluate their management practices, analyze production output, and identify constraints affecting fish production in the study area. The non-probability chain referral sampling procedure was employed, with data collected from 100 fish hatchery operators using structured questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed using S.P.S.S Version 15.0, and presented using descriptive statistics, including tables, charts, and percentages. The findings revealed that fish seed production is largely undertaken by middle-aged (51.9%), experienced (40.5%), and predominantly male operators (94.9%). Also, Clarias gariepinus and Heterobranchus bidorsalis (97.5%) were predominant species bred in hatcheries. Water quality management was a key concern, as many operators relied on basic flow-through systems (73.2%) and oxygenation methods (25.6%) to maintain optimal conditions. Broodstock reuse was common, with most operators (89.7%) allowing a recovery period of 3 – 4 months before reuse. The study identified poor water quality leading to fry mortality (55.7%), financial constraints (27.9%), feed availability and cost (13.9%), and theft (2.5%) as the major challenges faced by hatchery operators. Based on the findings, the study recommends enhanced training programs, targeted funding schemes, better water quality management strategies, and security measures to enhance efficiency and overall productivity of fish seeds in the study area. Also, further studies should be carried out on other aspects of the fish seed production value chain to enable a comprehensive understanding of the fish seed production in the study area.

The Nigerian civil war was a cataclysm that rocked the emergent Nigerian state from 1967 to 1970. The 30 months civil war was preceded by a configuration of pre-independence and post-independence crises. 1 The Origins of the civil war could be located in a complexity of factors ranging from the remote which includes the military coups d’état of January 15, and July 29, 1966. Other remote factors are the regional election crisis in Western Nigeria in 1965; the Tiv riots of 1964; the Federal Elections of 1964; the killings of the Igbos living in Northern Nigeria from May to September. The structural imbalance of the Nigerian federation; and, most importantly, the asymmetrical distribution of power among the various ethnic and geopolitical groups.
2

Welding is an essential fabrication process in various industries, including automotive, aerospace, shipbuilding, and construction. It is a method used to join metals or thermoplastics through coalescence, usually involving the application of heat or pressure. The welding of similar metals, such as steel-to-steel or aluminum-to-aluminum, is relatively well-understood, with established techniques and filler materials to ensure strong and reliable welds. However, welding dissimilar metals (those with different chemical compositions and physical properties) introduces additional challenges due to the inherent differences in melting points, thermal conductivity, and expansion rates.Dissimilar metal welding (DMW) has gained increasing attention in recent years due to its potential to optimize material properties in critical applications. For instance, in the automotive industry, lightweight materials like aluminum are welded to stronger metals such as steel to produce fuel-efficient vehicles without compromising safety. In the aerospace industry, DMW enables the combination of materials like titanium and aluminum, offering a balance between strength, heat resistance, and weight reduction.The role of filler materials is particularly important in DMW, as they act as intermediaries between the base metals, helping to form a stable joint. The choice of filler material influences not only the mechanical strength of the weld but also its resistance to corrosion, heat, and stress. Incompatible filler materials can lead to poor weld strength, the formation of brittle intermetallic compounds, or cracking. This study seeks to explore how different filler materials affect weld strength in DMW, with the ultimate goal of identifying the optimal materials for specific dissimilar metal combinations.