Taraba State University

In recent years, the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by non-military actors (NMAs) has expanded beyond conventional battlefields to civilian and cultural spaces in Southeast Nigeria. This has intensified insecurity outside formal war zones. The existing analyses of IED violence in Nigeria have largely prioritized military fatalities and tactical innovation without addressing the cultural and symbolic dimensions of human harm. This study examines how IEDs employed by these malevolent actors in Southeast Nigeria threaten safety and cultural integrity. Drawing on the UNDP human‑security framework, we introduce cultural security as a pillar encompassing tangible (shrines, monuments) and intangible (festivals, oral traditions) heritage. Through in‑depth interviews with five community respondents in Anambra and Imo States, we document how IED blasts emptied markets, desecrated rituals, enforced compliance, and festival suspensions, and disrupted social cohesion. Anchored in Galtung’s cultural violence and Atran’s symbolic warfare theories, we show that IED violence weaponizes cultural symbols to coerce communities. We recommend co‑mapping hotspots, youth‑led patrols, and oral history archives to sustain Igbo resilience.

This structured, hypothesis-driven narrative review examines how mycotoxins, pervasive food contaminants, disrupt intestinal microbial balance, epithelial barrier integrity, xenobiotic metabolism, and carcinogenic signaling. Emerging evidence indicates that bidirectional interactions between the gut microbiome and mycotoxins modulate these effects, with microbial detoxification enzymes influencing toxin metabolism, immune responses, and epithelial resilience. However, the mechanistic understanding of microbiome–mycotoxin interplay remains incomplete, particularly regarding enzymatic pathways, microbial metabolites, and cancer-associated signaling. This review synthesizes recent (2016–2025) mechanistic studies on gut microbiota–mediated mycotoxin biotransformation, enzymatic detoxification, and probiotic interventions as strategies to mitigate mycotoxin-induced gut and cancer-related damage, focusing on key dietary toxins such as aflatoxin B₁, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, ochratoxin A, fumonisins, and patulin. Evidence indicates that microbial enzymes, including de-epoxidases, lactonases, and reductases, contribute to mycotoxin biotransformation, while probiotics can enhance epithelial barrier function, restore microbial ecosystem balance, and modulate immune responses through toxin binding, competitive exclusion, and anti-inflammatory actions. The review further highlights the strain-specific nature of detoxification, the impact of mycotoxin-induced dysbiosis on short-chain fatty acid production and inflammation, and the modulation of cancer-related pathways including NF-κB, STAT3, and IL-6. Finally, it provides an integrated framework linking microbial mechanisms, bioactive microorganisms, and regulatory considerations, identifies critical knowledge gaps, and outlines mechanistically informed probiotic strategies for mitigating mycotoxin exposure and its associated health risks.

Chaotic motion near black holes has recently been examined through the lens of the Maldacena-Shenker-Stanford (MSS) chaos-bound, but reported violations remain contradictory. A significant source of ambiguity stems from treating the particle angular momentum as an independently adjustable parameter instead of as a quantity fixed by the circular-orbit conditions. We develop a constrained framework in which the angular momentum is determined self-consistently from the geometry. Applied to the charged Kiselev black hole, this framework shows that certain previously reported violations of the chaos bound can be attributed to inconsistent parameter choices rather than to intrinsic curvature effects. By extending the analysis to geometries containing higher-order curvature terms, we find genuine chaos-bound violations at large charge-to-mass ratios, originating from curvature corrections rather than orbital parameters. Our approach, therefore, provides a systematic means to distinguish between parameter-induced (apparent) and curvature-induced (physical) violations in Einstein gravity and its extensions.

This study explores the relationship that exists between state governance, uncontrolled artisanal gold mining, and banditry, using the political economy of violence framework. The northwest Nigeria has experienced an increase in artisanal gold mining, which, while providing income to impoverished rural areas, also contributes to banditry and criminal activities. Based on qualitative methods, this study reveals how governance failures serve to enable proliferation of banditry, operating with impunity to engage in rural violence and control of mining camps. The study advocates for holistic approaches to improve security, control artisanal mining, and deliver sustainable development to these areas.

Cellulose-based composites functionalized with anionic groups are emerging as highly versatile materials for adsorption-driven water purification. Their negatively charged surfaces not only enhance affinity for cationic pollutants but also provide robust platforms for integrating catalytic, magnetic, and antimicrobial agents. This multifunctionality enables hybrid systems capable of simultaneous adsorption, photocatalysis, magnetic separation, and microbial control, offering sustainable solutions to complex water contamination challenges. Recent advances in the design of anionic cellulose composites (AiCC) highlight tailored strategies that impart structural stability, porosity, and synergistic performance. By consolidating insights into synthesis pathways, hybrid mechanisms, and performance metrics that include functionality and reusability, this review offers perspectives to guide future research and provides a cohesive framework for advancing AiCC technologies, positioning them as a frontier in sustainable environmental remediation.