A Lecturer in the Department of Geology, Yobe State University, Mr Ahmed Maina says there are about 18 untapped mineral resources at commercial quantity across the stat\e. According to him on Monday in Damaturu, some of the minerals include limestone, gypsum, trona, kaolin, diatomite, bentonite, crude oil, among others. He said Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, Bauchi and Jigawa states were part of the Chad Basin blessed with abundant mineral resources. “Trona which is available in Fika Local Government is used to manufacture detergent. It is also used for producing Plaster of Paris (POP). “In the same local government, we have limestone…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
Fidelity Bank has announced N105.8 billion gross earnings in its audited results for the half-year ended June 30, in spite the economic challenges occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. The bank in a statement in Abuja on Monday, said it had sustained the financial performance trajectory of recent years with another set of impressive financial results. “Details of the Audited Half Year results ending June 30, 2020 for the top Nigerian lender, released on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Sept. 3, show strong growth in profits and other indices. “The bank recorded a surge in Profit Before Tax of N12.0…
Airtel Nigeria in Lagos on Monday said it had launched an Outdoor Unit (ODU) Smartbox, a new broadband internet booster to improve connectivity for customers at homes and offices. The telco said in a statement that the launch of the Airtel ODU Smartbox, which rides on its expansive and modernised 4G network, would further deepen broadband connectivity in homes and offices across the country. It said that the smartbox would give customers the freedom to do more as well as become more productive. The telco said that the Airtel Smartbox came with an Outdoor Unit (ODU), an antenna for extended…
Scientists have published the most comprehensive genome information to date for all three of the most troublesome agricultural weed species, marking a new era of scientific discovery toward potential solutions. Waterhemp, smooth pigweed, and Palmer amaranth impact crop production in the United States and around the world. All three genomes were assembled using advanced long-read sequencing, which maintains the integrity and continuity of the genome similar to the way large puzzle pieces provide a clearer picture of the whole than small pieces. In the assembly for Palmer amaranth, an additional sequencing technology (chromatin conformation capture sequencing) was used to further order pieces of the…
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has denied media reports claiming it issued a red alert on security agencies over a purported terrorists’ attack in Abuja and neighbouring states. A supposed internal memo linked to the Service and released late last week, indicated that the terrorists were regrouping around Abuja, Kogi and Nasarawa States, all in North-central Nigeria. The controversial memo, purportedly signed by the Comptroller, Enforcement of NCS headquarters, H.A Sabo, disclosed that the terrorist group had camped in five prominent locations in Abuja, with plans to unleash terror on residents of the city. But in a telephone chat with PRNigeria,…
Animal biotechnology has been primed to contribute significantly towards addressing the challenge of food security, especially in the developing world. During a webinar organized by ISAAA AfriCenter, experts agreed that animal biotechnology is an inevitable part of the toolkit to address climate-related challenges. Prof. Steve Kemp, an animal geneticist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), underscored the importance of genetic selection in driving improvements in productivity. Prof. Kemp revealed how an ILRI project to develop trypanosomiasis-resistant cattle using biotechnology could transform the lives of smallholder farmers who depend on livestock. “African trypanosomiasis is an extremely important pathogen, and is estimated to cost about…
The research team led by professor Geung-Ju Lee of Chungnam National University and Toolgen announced that the new variety of petunia co-developed with CRISPR genome editing technology has been determined as non-GMO by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The decision was released under the “Am I Regulated?” program of the USDA. The program is designed to verify the presence of GMOs for crops developed with new breeding techniques such as CRISPR technology. The genome-edited petunia developed in South Korea is the first genome-edited petunia approved by the USDA. “We have succeeded in developing a new breed of petunia in pale pinky-purple color for…
A female prison guard, aged 26, has been arrested allegedly having sex with a rapist inmate in Pentonville Prison, north London. The Sun reports that a colleague claimed he found her with rapist Dimeck Amoura, 27. A source claimed they were caught red-handed and told The Sun: “They were actually entwined when staff found them. “Amoura’s a convicted sex offender, a really nasty character.” Amoura was jailed in 2012 for raping a 29-year-old trainee architect at knifepoint as she walked home in Nunhead, South East London. A Metropolitan Police spokesman told Mirror Online: “Police were called at 03:24hrs on Sunday,…
By Lyn Oyugi I, lyneoyugi@gmail.com Science journalists from 30 African countries will participate in a virtual pre-conference being organised by a media association and a leading conservation organization in Kenya. For one to participate in the event, registration must be done in advance at https://wwf.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5wJPZgBjSrGD-QEpSzs89A According to the Chairperson of the Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (MESHA), Ms Violet Otindo, the network, which has a large foot print in African science journalism, is partnering with the World Wildlife Fund– Kenya to bring together nearly 200 journalists from African and beyond to discuss conservation, climate change, agriculture and health.…
The Niger Police Command, has confirmed that a petrol tanker, which was headed to Suleija from Minna skidded off the road and rammed into a Mosque at Lambata, Gurrara local government area of the state. The Police Commissioner, Mr Adamu Usman, who confirmed the incident state’s Commissioner of Police, comfirmed the incident on Monday, said the accident occurred at about 22:45 hours. and burnt several other properties. “52 lock shops by the road side and ten houses were razed. “We have since commenced investigation and warned truck drivers to desist from carrying people in truck as such vehicles are not…