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A critical need for a more sustainable approach to oil spill cleanup in Nigeria, especially the NigerDelta,was highlighted by the environmental and economic devastation documented in the 2011 UnitedNationsEnvironment Programme (UNEP) assessment of Ogoni land. Existing cleanup methods relying onsyntheticsorbents proved expensive, logistically challenging, and harmful to the environment due totheirnon-biodegradable nature. This research investigated the potential of natural coir fibers, a readily availableandlow-cost resource in Nigeria, as an alternative. The inherent advantages of coir, such as lowdensity,appropriate stif ness, disposability, and renewability, make it a promising candidate. The researchexploredmodifying coir fibers through acetylation to improve their oil absorption and reusability. Sorptionexperiments and oil recovery assessments were conducted to evaluate the ef ectiveness of the modifiedcoirsorbent. Additionally, FT-IR, XRD, and TGA analyses were employed to understand the material propertiesand the impact of the treatment. Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the potential ofutilizing natural coir fibers as a sustainable solution for oil spill cleanup in Nigeria.

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The security situation in Nigeria has become increasingly alarming and is a matter of grave concern. This pervasive insecurity has negatively impacted every aspect of life in the country and has persisted for over two decades. The situation continues to deteriorate, with the proliferation of armed groups in various regions, leading to frequent occurrences of kidnapping, insurgency, and attacks on lives and property. Despite the government’s efforts, including military interventions and other strategies, little progress has been made. A comprehensive approach to addressing Nigeria’s security challenges is urgently needed. One promising avenue involves the integration of smart textiles, which are advanced textile products—such as fibres, filaments, and yarns—that are woven, knitted, or non-woven and can interact with their environment. These textiles have the potential to perform functions related to communication, energy transformation, and conduction, and even to adapt or grow in response to stimuli. Smart textiles are capable of sensing and reacting to environmental conditions or stimuli from mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical, magnetic, and other sources. This paper explores the potential of incorporating smart textiles into fields such as medicine, fashion, and home economics as part of a broader strategy to combat insecurity in Nigeria. It recommends that the government prioritize improving the standard of living, particularly for the youth, and that the fashion industry focus on producing clothing embedded with smart textiles to enhance safety, particularly in military uniforms and protective outfits. Additionally, smart textiles should be utilized in healthcare settings to monitor biological factors, facilitate health therapy, and improve the accuracy of surgical procedures, thereby making medical care more efficient and precise

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Crude oil is generally one of the most important raw materials and energy sources worldwide. The accidental discharge of oil into the environment during production, transportation, refining, tanker accidents, sabotage and oil bunkering causes adverse effects on aquatic life and human economic activities. The current challenge is to produce effective materials that are environmentally friendly from bio-based resources to replace the synthetic sorbents which are hazardous to the ecosystem integrity and non-biodegradable. This research explored the potential of using a blend of jute and coir fibres as a substitute for polypropylene fibres in a structured material designed for crude oil spill cleanup. To determine the viability of this substitution, buoyancy tests were conducted on the blended materials at various blending ratios. These tests aimed to evaluate the floating capability and stability of the blended fibres when exposed to crude oil spills. Moreover, comprehensive sorption tests were performed, analyzing the absorption efficiency of the blended material in both crude oil and a mixture of seawater and crude oil. These tests also included assessments of water uptake under static and dynamic conditions, providing a thorough understanding of the material’s behavior in realworld spill scenarios. The results indicated that replacing up to 50%-75% of polypropylene fibres with jute and coir fibres showed significant potential, demonstrating comparable or superior performance in absorbing crude oil while maintaining buoyancy. This research underscores the feasibility of using natural fibres as an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic materials in oil spill cleanup efforts, highlighting their potential to reduce environmental impact without compromising the effectiveness of the cleanup process

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Natural and synthetic fibre hybrid composites are becoming more popular in engineering due to their ecofriendliness, lightweight nature, and low cost. This study focused on creating Maize Cob (MC)/Glass Fibre (GF) hybrid Epoxy Resin (ER) composites using hand-lay-up techniques with a 10% filler content. Various filler combinations (1%GF/9%MC, 7%GF/3%MC, 5%GF/5%MC, 3%GF/7%MC) in 90% ER were tested for physical and mechanical properties. The findings revealed that density decreased with higher filler content, ranging from 1.52 to 1.20 g/cm³, and water absorption increased due to voids and agglomeration. The 5%GF/5%MC/ER composite demonstrated good tensile strength (67.65 MPa) and flexural strength (60.79 MPa) owing to effective filler-matrix integration, while impact strength improved significantly from 1.73 J/m for 100% ER to 2.48 J/m for 5%GF/5%MC/ER. The study concluded that MC/GF hybrid epoxy resin composites offer a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to waste disposal and management.

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Nigeria, a West African country, is currently facing significant economic and security challenges, particularly in its northern regions. The nation's economy is heavily dependent on the oil sector, and it grapples with a high level of youth unemployment, which is a major contributor to the insecurity in the country. There is an urgent need to diversify the economy to provide employment opportunities for the burgeoning youth population. Achieving comprehensive socioeconomic development in Nigeria necessitates considering the ceramic and textile industries as key areas for economic diversification. Revitalizing these industries could help mitigate social vices such as banditry, Boko Haram insurgency, and kidnapping, which are prevalent in the northern parts of the country and are linked to high unemployment rates. This paper identifies the factors that led to the decline of the ceramic and textile manufacturing sectors in Nigeria. It also highlights the potential role of these industries in addressing the country's security challenges and in providing employment, which is crucial for mitigating insecurity.