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Insurgency: Expert advocates chemical security in Nigeria, Africa
A university don, Prof. Christian Madu, on Monday advocated strict chemical security and management in Nigeria and Africa to check the rising incidents of insurgency in the continent.
Madu, a former Director of the Center for Environmental Management and Green Energy at the University of Nigeria (UNN), told newsmen in Enugu that there was a need to ensure that unauthorized non-state actors do not have access to chemicals.
According to him, unauthorized non-state actors should never have access to chemicals to avoid large-scale destruction that will kill innocent people and destroy critical infrastructure.
He noted that the protection of chemicals involves streamlining the supply chain from procurement through to disposal and/or recycling of chemicals to ensure security and that the chemicals are not intercepted by unauthorized users.
Madu, who was recently invited to train faculty from Ukraine on developing a curriculum in chemical safety and security management to protect Ukraine’s chemical-related critical infrastructure, said: “Chemical safety deals with safe handling of hazardous chemicals to avoid chemical accidents and reduce health risks, and damage to the environment.”
“The aim in both chemical safety and security is to prevent, detect, and properly respond to chemical accidents and/or chemical security threats. Chemical safety investigates issues on how to store chemicals, expiration issues, inventory, and disposal of unused chemicals.
“Attention is paid to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety data sheets (SDS). The primary goal is the safety of chemical users or handlers, and also the environment.
“Conversely, security of chemicals involves tracking the procurement process and the usage to make sure that the chemicals are not diverted to other purposes that may pose dangers to all.”
The don regretted that many non-state actors in the country especially in the North-East, North-West, and other parts of the country, who are changing their tactics and are increasingly becoming more violent, are using chemical-induced Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) to advance their extremists agenda.
He called for concerted efforts to prohibit access of chemicals from such non-state actors to avoid the potential of misusing such chemicals to kill and harm several people at the same time.
Madu, who will be joining other world experts in chemical safety and security management in a workshop in Italy on this critical subject for the Ukraine people, commended NAFDAC and Office of the National Security Adviser for ensuring that such chemicals are controlled and accounted for.
“Unfortunately, we have to do more since we have too many chemical merchants who have not fully understood that the chemicals; they market for beneficial usage may have the other not-so-good side.
“Most chemicals are dual-use chemicals. It is therefore important not only to monitor the chemicals but also to know the mental and financial stability of those that have access to chemicals.
“People that have access to chemicals may be easily compromised and that will pose a threat to everyone,” he said.
The don said that he had helped develop a Chemical Security and Management curriculum in his Centre in UNN, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria and Africa as well as assisted in developing a national curriculum for the course.
“I have gone to IUPAC conference in Cape Town, South Africa to share it with other academics from other countries but especially African countries.
“I am hopeful that my colleagues in Nigeria who recently participated in the webinar sessions I ran on the curriculum will develop the programme in their respective institutions and I am always ready to assist.
“I have also trained critical mass at UNN on chemical security management, and I hope they are put to use to strengthen the programme,” he said.
It would be recalled that Prof. Madu is a leader in the subject matter and an expert on Chemical Security Management in Nigeria and was instrumental in developing the first graduate programme on Chemical Security Management at UNN.
Working on several grants from the US Civilian Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), Madu trained members of the Chemical Society of Nigeria in the six geopolitical zones of the country. He was honored with the Fellow of Chemical Society of Nigeria.
In 2023, he worked on a grant to improve on and extend the curriculum for chemical security management in Nigeria; through this, a workshop was organised involving tertiary institutions from six geopolitical zones of the country, and the National University Commission (NUC).
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Baltasar Engonga: Wife of Equatorial Guinea ANIF boss sextape with another man leaked
Wife of the sacked Director General of Equatorial Guinea’s National Financial Investigation Agency, ANIF, Baltasar Ebang Engonga, has been caught in extra-marital affairs.
Video footage emerged of Engonga’s wife having an intimacy with another man.
This was disclosed by popular social critic, Martins Ortse aka VeryDarkMan via an Instagram post on Saturday.
Sharing pictures of the Engonga’s wife from the video footage, VeryDarkMan said: “Just when I thought it was all over about this Equatorial Guinea man, the whole thing is getting more interesting. I just saw a video of his wife and another man, if you watch this video; it’s crazy. If you see how another man was na*cking his wife.”
Engonga was recently caught with about 400 sex tapes with several women during an investigation into a fraud case.
The leaked videos have continued to generate controversy via the social media space.
Reacting, First Lady Constancia Mangue Obiang expressed outrage over the scandal during a meeting with Prime Minister Manuel Osa Nsue.
Mrs Obiang called for immediate government intervention to uphold the dignity of Equatoguinean women and protect their privacy in the digital age.
Following the discovery, Engonga was relieved of his duty and subsequently arrested. He was remanded in prison on Friday.
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Three police officers arrested for torturing student to death in Kwara
Three police officers, who allegedly beat a student of the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, Suleiman Olayinka to death at Tanke Bridge in Ilorin, the state capital, have been arrested and detained.
The spokesperson of the state police command, DSP Ejire Adeyemi Toun, disclosed this in a statement in Ilorin on Friday.
Reports said that the incident occurred on Tuesday around 2 p.m. when the victim got off a motorcycle and was approached by three officers who then dragged him to the ground.
An eyewitness claimed that the victim had arrived to collect N1,000 he had already transferred to a Point of Sale (POS) operator, intending to give the money to the rider who brought him.
“I was with him, as soon as he got the money, the officers came out of a tricycle and dragged him to the ground. The victim kept asking what offence he had committed, but they didn’t let him speak,” the source said.
The witness further explained that the victim pleaded with the officers, informing them that he was asthmatic, but they ignored his pleas.
In a reaction on Friday, the spokesperson said, “the Kwara State police command is aware of this unfortunate incident which led to the sudden death of Suleiman Olayinka (M) 27yrs.
“A complaint of cheating and criminal breach of trust was reported against the deceased. Police detectives were immediately detailed to investigate the case.
“Meanwhile the officers involved in the incident have been identified, arrested and detained for further investigations as regards the death of the suspect.
“Further updates will be provided promptly as investigations unfold,” the statement added.
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400 sex tapes: Equatorial Guinea’s Baltasar remanded in prison
The former Director-General of the National Financial Investigation Agency in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Engonga, has been remanded in Malabo’s Black Beach Prison, Saturday PUNCH has reported.
The embattled former anti-graft chief was arrested days ago for allegedly recording over 400 sex tapes involving the wives of prominent figures in the country.
This scandal surfaced during a fraud investigation into the 54-year-old economist, resulting in an impromptu search of his home and office by ANIF officials, who reportedly discovered several CDs that revealed his sexual encounters with different married women.
As the footage leaked online, causing a media uproar, Equatorial Guinea’s President, Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, dismissed Engonga.
According to Decree No. 118/2024, dated 4th November, the dismissal was due to “irregularities committed in the exercise of his functions, as well as inappropriate family and social conduct for the performance of public duties.”
A viral video surfaced on social media on Friday, showing Engonga handcuffed on both hands and legs during a court appearance.
Confirming the situation, French online blog Afrikmatin reported that Engonga, who was officially removed from his role on November 6, 2024, was subsequently chained and transferred to Malabo Central Prison.
He faces charges of corruption and embezzlement.
Additionally, online newspaper UGStandard reported that the sex tapes began circulating on social networks while Engonga was already held at Malabo’s notorious Black Beach Prison on charges of embezzling public funds, as reported by state television, TVGE.
In a fact-checking report published Wednesday, Dubawa verified that Engonga had indeed been taken into custody on corruption charges and is currently being held in Black Beach Prison.
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