FACULTY OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES

Several probability models have been introduced in literature to model data sets arising from different real-world scenarios. Such applications are found in the field of engineering, biological sciences, finance, demography, actuarial sciences, agricultural sciences, etc. In this study, we develop a hybrid statistical model which is a composition of the inverse Burr and Topp-Leone distribution. We refer to this model as the inverse Burr Topp-Leone (IBTL) distribution. Basic statistical properties of the IBTL distribution are derived. The method of maximum likelihood estimation is employed to obtain the unknown parameters of the IBTL distribution. A Monte Carlo simulation study is carried out to investigate the asymptotic behavior of the maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters of the IBTL distribution. Finally, two real data sets comprising of the germination rate of oil palm seeds are adapted to illustrate the usefulness of the proposed IBTL distribution in real-life data fittings. For the purpose of model comparison, we considered some existing unit-interval distributions. Result obtained from the analysis revealed that the IBTL distribution outperformed the competitor distributions and thus, becomes a useful alternative to other existing unit-interval distributions in real-life data fittings.

This project work covers the study of the beta distribution which include its moments, the central moments, coefficient of variation, coefficient of skewness and coefficient of kurtosis. An estimation of the rth moment of the beta distribution can be symmetry (asymmetry), negatively skewed (left skewed) or positive skewed (right skewed) at different level of its fixed parameters.

Particulate matter (PM) are basically released into the environment through anthropogenic activities such as combustion processes which includes vehicular emissions, combustion of fossil fuel, metal smelting, which significantly pollutes the environment, thereby having negative effects on man and its environment. Particulate matter comprises of different particles size, ranging from ultrafine particles to total suspended particulates and various composition, the major components are the organic and the inorganic (metals) and these are the once that have cause for health concern. Metals have divers of adverse effects on the environment and on the human body In this study, PM2.5 and TSP were collected during the dry and wet season using APEX2IS Casella standard pump coupled with conical inhalable sampler (CIS) head at a flow rate 3.5L/min for a sampling period of 8 hours per day. The weight of the sample collected were determined gravimetrically and analyzed for heavy metal concentration in PM2.5 and TSP using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) method. The results obtained were subjected to Statistical analysis such as principal component analysis (PCA) for source identification, cluster analysis and correlation matrix.

Smoked beef is a common food sold on the streets in Nigeria, popularly known as ‘suya’. This project evaluates the levels of sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and five heavy metals in smoked beef, aiming to determine PAH and heavy metal concentrations and compare them with regulatory limits. The study employed analytical techniques including gas chromatography for PAH analysis and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) for heavy metal analysis. Samples of smoked beef were collected from various locations around University of Benin axis (Ekosodin, Hall 2 and Maingate) which underwent solvent extraction using a sonic bath, followed by purification with a silica gel column and were analysed via Gas Chromatography/Flame Ionization Detector for their PAH levels. For heavy metals, samples were digested with nitric and perchloric acid and then analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The results revealed the presence of PAHs and various heavy metals, with concentrations varying among samples showed that the PAH levels were well within the regulatory standards while some of the heavy metals were above the regulatory standards. The findings provide valuable insights into the contamination levels of smoked beef and highlight the importance of monitoring and regulating food processing practices to ensure consumer safety.

The experiment was carried out to produce ginger powder from fresh ginger rhizomes using sun drying technique. The fresh rhizomes were collected from Forestry market, Benin City, Edo State. The ginger was then examined for its proximate, phytochemical and mineral element composition. These tests were carried out on the ginger before and after processing. The phytochemicals examined were alkaloids, glycosides, phenolic compounds, tanins, saponins, terpenoids, flavonoids, quinones and steroids. Specifically, the absence or presence of these phytochemicals were determined. The results from the mineral element test on the fresh ginger showed the following values in mg/L; Magnesium (0.75), Iron (1.0), Calcium (0.50), Zinc (0.80), Potassium (19.70) and Sodium (2.20). The processed ginger powder showed; Iron (1.60), Magnesium (1.08), Calcium (0.30), Zinc (1.20), Potassium (61.10) and Sodium (11.40). MBased on this study, the sun drying technique proved effective in reducing the moisture content of the ginger thereby improving its shelf-life, and its overall consumer desirability. The processed ginger powder is also a good source of the aforementioned minerals.

In a world where movement of people can’t be overemphasized, the need for navigation is crucial. This project seeks to bring a solution to some of the many problems of the existing navigation systems we have today by proposing and offline navigation system model. It also gives a theoretical background to the existing navigation systems already in place with an idea of their workings.

This project focuses on the design, construction, and experimental analysis of three distinct meter bridges fabricated using aluminum, steel, and copper base plates. The primary objective was to measure and compare the internal resistance of a constantan wire using these three different conductive materials, and to analyze how the type of base metal affects the accuracy, sensitivity, and stability of resistance measurements. The study is based on the fundamental principle of the Wheatstone Bridge, which provides a reliable method for comparing and determining unknown resistances by achieving a state of balance between two arms of an electrical network. The meter bridge, being a modified form of the Wheatstone bridge, was selected due to its simplicity, accuracy, and wide applicability in electrical measurement laboratories. During fabrication, each meter bridge consisted of a one-meter uniform wire mounted on a polished metal base (aluminum, steel, or copper), fitted with thick brass strips, standard resistors, binding posts, and a jockey for variable contact. A Leclanché cell served as the power source, and a center-zero galvanometer was employed to detect the balance point. Constantan was chosen as the test wire due to its negligible temperature coefficient of resistance and high mechanical stability. Experimental readings were taken for various known resistances, and the corresponding balance lengths were recorded. The internal resistance of the constantan wire was computed and analyzed.

This study evaluated the chemical composition and phytochemicals present in tiger nuts as a potential alternative to synthetic drugs with side effects. The result for proximate analysis of tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus) showed carbohydrate 50.89±0.25, crude fibre 7.50±0.29, crude protein 4.57±0.08, ash 3.00±0.29, crude fat 26.53±0.18 and moisture 7.50±0.29. From the result,
tiger nut contains high amount of carbohydrates and low moisture, indicating a good shelf life
Mineral analysis identified high levels of potassium (2565 mg/kg) and phosphorus (4914 mg/kg), along with significant amounts of magnesium (52 mg/kg) and iron (190 mg/kg). The phytochemical screening of tiger nut confirmed the presence of various bioactive compounds like glycosides, alkaloids, saponins, phenols, eugenols, terpenoids, and flavonoids, indicating
potential health benefits. The absence of tannins and steroids suggests minimal anti-nutritional factors. These findings provide valuable data on the nutritional and bioactive profile of tiger nuts, supporting their exploration as a natural source of health-promoting compounds.

The objective of this research is to create a web-based movie recommender system that effectively tackles the challenges of data sparsity and cold start. The system effectively combines explicit data, such as movie ratings and implicit data, including watch history, search queries, and interactions, in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of user preferences. Data cleaning and normalisation are essential preprocessing steps. Sophisticated recommendation algorithms are utilised to improve recommendations, incorporating collaborative filtering, sparsity reduction, and cold start mitigation techniques. The evaluation findings indicate better recommendation, underscoring the system's efficacy in addressing sparsity and cold start obstacles

Traditional cybersecurity awareness programs often struggle with engagement, scalability, and the ability to measure real behavioral change among users. To address these challenges, this project presents the development of a Phishing Simulation and Awareness Portal using Google Workspace tools. The system is designed to simulate real-world phishing attacks in a controlled environment and educate users through interactive, micro-based lessons. Built with Google Apps Script, Gmail, and Google Sheets, the platform automates the creation, deployment, and tracking of phishing campaigns, while maintaining real-time event logging and analytics. It also provides administrators with a simple, centralized interface for managing email templates, campaign configurations, recipient data, and awareness metrics. By integrating simulation and training within the familiar Google ecosystem, the system eliminates the need for external applications and ensures ease of deployment across organizations. Ultimately, this project aims to enhance user vigilance, reduce susceptibility to phishing threats, and promote a culture of proactive cybersecurity awareness through continuous education and data-driven feedback