Plateau State Nigeria Research Articles

Assessment of the Drinking Water Quality in Shendam Local Government Area of Southern Senatorial District of Plateau State, Nigeria

Introduction: Access to clean water is fundamental to human health. The importance of water to human’s health and wellbeing is encapsulated in the human right to water, reaffirmed by the united nation in 2010. The, aim of this study was to assessed the quality of drinking water in Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau State Nigeria. Place and Duration of Study: The water samples were collected from Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau State Nigeria. 20 samples of the water were collected in the month of May from different locations within the study area. Methodology: The samples were analyzed using automated instrumental methods prescribed by standard methods for the analysis of water and wastewater and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA, 2010). Results: The results showed SO42- range from ND to 69.00mg/L; pH 6.93 to 7.69; NO3- 4.40 to 113.08 mg/L; PO42- 1.48 to 69.00 mg/L; Cd range from 0.002 ± 0.03 to 0.036 ± 0.005 mg/L; Ni, from 0.002 ± 0.010 to 0.162 ± 0.013 mg/L; Cr, ND to 0.337 ± 0.051 mg/L; Pb 0.012 ± 0.002 to 0.213 ± 0.029 mg/L. The calculated average daily intake (ADI) for Cd, Ni, Cr and Pb were within acceptable limits while the hazard quotients (HQ) for some of the metals were >1, while some are < 1 signifying that some of the population would experience non-cancer risks due to exposure to these metals in drinking water. The bacteriological study of the water samples also revealed that the water samples were all polluted with bacteria and coliforms. Conclusion: From the foregoing, these drinking water sources, therefore require treatment before consumption to minimize or avoid the incidences of water-related diseases.

Facial Morphometry of the Mwaghavul Ethnic Group in Plateau State, Nigeria

The face is the most striking feature which distinguishes an individual. Human body dimensions are affected by ecological, biological, geographical, racial, gender, age and nutritional factors. Anthropometrics vary from tribe to tribe, and from race to race and, also differs amongst different age groups and between the two sexes of a given population. The aim of the study was to determine the facial morphometry of the Mwaghavul ethnic group of Plateau State, Nigeria. The objectives were to determine facial dimensions, facial index and facial types of Mwaghavul ethnic group. Four hundred and five (405) participants (231, males; 174, females) aged 18-30 years were involved in this study. The study was carried out on Mwaghavul students of College of Education Gindiri, Mangu LGA of Plateau State in Nigeria. The photographic setup consisted of a tripod stand and digital camera. The participants were positioned at a distance of 120 cm from the camera. The camera was raised to the ear level of the participants to provide good quality of image and to prevent distortion of the face. The photographs were captured at a standard resolution of 12.1 megapixels. A digital vernier caliper was then used to measure the facial linear dimensions. The photographic records were analysed using a bioanalyser (version 6). The program was customized with the landmarks used in this study. Facial width higher in females than in males (p=0.047) while facial and lower facial indices were higher in males than in females (p<0.001) respectively. The facial type of Mwaghavul ethnic group was found to be dominantly hyperleptoprosopic in both sexes. These variations were possibly due to age, inter- and intra-ethnic, nutritional, socio-economic, genetic, gender, racial and climatic factors

An Investigation of the Safety and Nutritional Adequacy of Infant Formulas Found in Nigeria

Introduction Human breast milk is most recommended for the feeding of infants. Infant formulas could be introduced due to a number of reasons relating to the health of the mother or of the baby.  Objective To assess the nutritional adequacy and safety of commonly sold infant formula milk brands in the Nigerian market.  Method An observational study was conducted in Plateau State Nigeria around the months of February – April 2023 where five (5) different brand of infant formulas where compared. These were chosen because they were the most commonly available formulas in the market. Macro and micronutrient content of each formula milk was carefully collected from the cans and documented. Also, a comparison was made between the selected infant formulas and the European Society for Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrient (ESPGHAN) guidelines.  Results All included infant formula brands (SMA, Peak Baby, My Boy, NAN, and Lactogen) have their content within the optimal range as specified by the ESPGHAN. However, some formulas did not contain elements as fluoride and Niacin. Others are Aracidonic acid (AA), Docosahexaenoic acid (DNA) and Nucleotides.  Discussion Findings from this study revealed that all the included infant formula brands could be considered safe but not all are nutritionally adequate for infant feeding.  Conclusion There is a need re-evaluate the composition of infant formula brands commonly sold on the Nigerian market. This is necessary since the commonly available brands were not nutritionally adequate.

Physico-Chemical Parameters and Bacteriological Quality Assessment of Some Domestic Water Sources in Pankshin LGA of Plateau State Nigeria

Due to human activity and other natural influences, drinking water is seldom found in 100% pure forms in nature. Drinking polluted water is a major source of sickness in underdeveloped nations. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and standard methodologies for the investigation of water and wastewater were followed in the analysis of the collected water samples, which were conducted using automated instrumental methods. The obtained results indicated that the samples used had the following ranges of concentrations: SO42- ranges from ND to 19.00 mg/L; NO3- ranges from 4.40 to 100.32 mg/L; PO42- from 2.02-11,34 mg/L; pH 6.64 to 7.70; Cd from 0.0020 ± 0.001 to 0245 ± 0.01 mg/L; Ni, from 0.0074 ± 0.003 to 0.848 ± 0.021 mg/L; Cr, ND to 0.386 ± 0.082 mg/L; Pb ND to 0.428 ± 0.003 mg/L; total bacteria count TaBC, 4 x 102 to 3.3 x 104 CFU/mL. Most of the physicochemical parameters were above acceptable limits. The bacteriological study of the water samples also revealed that the water samples were all polluted with bacteria and coliforms. From the foregoing, these drinking water sources, therefore require treatment before consumption to minimize or avoid the incidences of water-related diseases.

Assessment of Concentrations and Distributions of Natural Radionuclides in Soils of Abandoned Mine Sites of Jos South and Barkin Ladi in Plateau State Nigeria

Barkin Ladi and Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State is situated in the central part of Northern Nigeria, on a rugged terrain of lowlands. It is the principal centre of tin and columbite mineralization, which forms the focal area of younger granites. The work was aimed at assessing the concentration and distribution of radionuclides in soils of abandoned tin mines and the soil’s physicochemical properties. The samples were collected in July, from five different locations in both Barkin Ladi and Jos South where mining activities were predominant. The samples were analyzed using a gamma-ray spectrometer. The result obtained reveals a range of the concentrations of 40K as 116.76 ± 0.21 to 250.15 ±0.,42 Bq/kg, 226Ra from 24.37 ± 0.31 to 90.45 ± 0.86 Bq/kg, and 232Th from 15.74 ± 0.71 to 88.43 ± 0.14 Bq/kg. The result of the physicochemical properties of the soil analyzed ranges from pH (3.12 to 6.81); organic carbon (0.01 to 1.62%); organic matter (0.22 to 3.01 %), cation exchange capacity (1.01 to 4,21Cmol/kg); clay (9.72 to 40.82 %); silt (8.32 to 40.32% and sand (32.42 to 75.38%) respectively. All the 40K results analyzed in all the sampling sites were lower than the recommended limits of 412Bq/kg, whereas most of the results of 226Ra and 232Th were above the 33Bq/kg and 45Bq/kg recommended safe limits. Exposure to elevated levels of naturally occurring radionuclides in soil can pose potential health risks to nearby populations. The physicochemical properties of the soil varied across the sampling sites. Most of the sampling sites are polluted with radionuclides and migrations of the radionuclides from the ex-mining sites to other parts of the environment were noticed from the studies conducted.

A GIS-based assessment of flood impact on agricultural farm activities along river Dilimi, JOS north local government area of Plateau state

Flood is a natural disaster that impacts lives, food security, and ecosystems. Hence, this study sought to investigate the impact of urban flooding on agricultural farm activities along river Dilimi, Jos North LGA Plateau State Nigeria. The study identified urban agricultural farm activities along River Dilimi, and flood-prone areas along the river, and evaluated the economic impact of flood on farmer’s activities in the study area. The study utilized a satellite image of 2021 to digitize urban agricultural farmland along River Dlimi while, DEM, slope, and the landuse of the study area were utilized in an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) on ArcGIS version 10.4 to determine areas prone to flood in the study area. Concerning the economic impact of flooding, the study revealed that loss of farm was ranked 1st, hunger and starvation, loss of properties, and high incidence of poverty with a weighted mean score of 1.22, 1.21, and 1.20 ranked 2nd, 3rd, and 4th while loss of family members, displacement from a natural domain with a weighted mean score 1.19, 1.15 ranked 5th and 6th. Other impacts of floods include damaging roads (1.14), causing malaria (1.13), adding nutrients to the soil (1.11), and causing environmental pollution (1.09). loss of farmland, hunger, and starvation, loss of properties, high incidence of poverty were perceived as serious economic impacts of flood on farmers in the study area. In addition, the result further reveals that river Dilimi covers 1.5%, agricultural landuse covers 2.82%, and other landuse covers 95.66%.

Parental Knowledge of HPV Infection, Cervical Cancer and the Acceptance of HPV Vaccination for their Children in Jos, Nigeria.

Despite the high prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and cervical cancer in Nigeria, the utilization of the HPV vaccine as a highly effective preventive measure remains low. The aim of this study was to find out if parental knowledge of HPV infection and cervical cancer influenced the acceptance of HPV vaccines for their 9-14-year-old children. This was a cross-sectional survey of 509 parents comprising 262 fathers and 247 mothers in 8 randomly selected communities in Jos, Plateau State Nigeria. A pretested semi-structured investigator-administered questionnaire, without identifiers, was used to collect information on parental knowledge of HPV, cervical cancer, HPV vaccine and its acceptance for their 9-14-year-old children. The data were analysed using SPSS version 23.0. Bivariate analysis was done using chi-square statistical test. Point estimates with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated with a value of P ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Five hundred and nine parents were interviewed. The mean age of the respondents was 43.7 ± 9.43 years. Most of the participants (86.1%) had formal education from primary to tertiary level. Only 1.60%, 11.60% and 1.62% of respondents had knowledge of HPV, cervical cancer and HPV vaccines respectively, whereas 67.8% of parents were willing to pay for the cancer-preventing HPV vaccines out-of-pocket. There was no statistically significant associations between parental level of education (P = 0.056), parental knowledge of cancer of cervix (P = 0.483), religion of parents (P = 0.324) and the acceptance of HPV vaccination for their children. There was a statistically significant association between parental willingness to pay for HPV vaccines if not offered free (P = 0.001) with acceptance of vaccination. Vaccine acceptability was associated with positive attitude towards the vaccine (odds ratio [OR] = 4.178; 95% CI, 1.714-10.180; P = 0.002), whereas parental knowledge of HPV, cervical cancer and HPV vaccine did not show significant association with acceptability of HPV vaccination for their children. Despite poor parental knowledge of HPV infection and cervical cancer, there was high acceptability of HPV vaccination for their children. HPV vaccination was acceptable to parents regardless of educational level or religion. Parents in Jos communities seems to have much faith in preventive vaccines as advertised by the health authorities. Accordingly, efforts should be geared towards ensuring availability, affordability and the provision of basic information regarding HPV vaccination in Northern Nigeria.

Molecular Profiling Ecofriendly Trichoderma Biological Control Agent of Yam Tuber Microbial Rot in Northern Nigeria

This research on isolation and identification of yam rot pathogen fungi from North central Nigeria was carried out to investigate some fungal species associated with yam rot using white yams (Dioscorea rotundata) obtained from Adamawa State, Benue State and Plateau State (Jos) Nigeria. Seven fungi species which cause yam rot were isolated during this study, namely: Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium echinulatum, Penicilum purpurogenum, Trichoderma spp and Trichophyton spp. Trichoderma yunnanense strain RCBBR_GA1 OP8008361 was identified molecularly. Pathogenicity test carried out confirmed these organisms as the pathological agent of the rot. A. niger statistically has the highest frequency of occurrence (100%). The least encountered fungal species were the P. citrinum (16.6%), P. purpurogenum (33.3%) and Trichophyton spp (33.3). Percentage growth inihibition of A. flavus, A. niger, P. citrinum, P. echinulatum, P. purpurogenum, Trichoderma spp and Trichophyton spp was carried out and they showed varying degree of inhibition. However, Trichopyton spp shows the highest growth of inhibition at 96 hours (41.4%) and 120 hours (73.7%). Trichoderma exhibited the highest control of the isolates (80 mm). Trichoderma inhibited mycelia extension growth of A. flavus (25 mm), A. niger (25 mm), P. citrinum (23 mm), P. echinulatum (23 mm), P. purpurogenum (24 mm) and Trichopyton spp (22 mm) at 96 hours. The result shows that Trichoderma was able to inhibit the growth of the pathogenic fungi, which are associated with yam rot. Fungal isolates from yam rot were examined morphologically and microscopically and the nature of rot was varied. It is recommended that enzymes from Trichoderma should be extracted and applied for reduction of microbial rot of yam tubers.

Generation of Architectural and Other Safety Measures Against Crises and Killings at Residential Environments in Plateau State of Nigeria

Over the years there have been series of crisis in Plateau State of Nigeria and they have led to massive killings and destruction of valuable properties; this is a very serious problem. Hence, it became necessary to conduct a research work with the aim of overviewing the cases of crises and killings at residential environments in Plateau State, in order to generate architectural and other safety measures to reduce their future occurrences in Nigeria. The research focused on desktop study as the instrument for data collection; reviewed different newspapers in Nigeria with available crisis and killing cases in Plateau State, in order to get relevant information to the research. Thus, table was used for the presentation and analysis of the research data, so as to generate results and the results were checked by using contents analysis technique, in order to validate them. Among the architectural research findings is: 1,290 houses were burnt during December, 2023 crisis in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State and some other research findings are: the security agencies knew that an attack was coming before the 2023 Christmas eve massacre; the security forces know the attackers, and they even know their hideouts for two decades. Among the recommended architectural safety measures to reduce future crises and killings is: the design of the members of roof, door, window, ceiling and any other part of building that can easily burn with the use of wood should be fire retardant type, in order to reduce death, massive destruction of houses and valuable properties in times of fire attack from the terrorists. Some other recommended safety measures are: there should be advanced training of security agencies on immediate defensive responses against the terrorists been rumored of their coming to the state; urgent investigations must be made on the security forces that knew the attackers and their hideouts for two decades without revealing the information, so that the defaulted members of those security forces can receive a very severe/appropriate punishment, in order to stop this kind of bad service in Nigeria.

Molecular and serological detection of Newcastle disease virus in live-bird markets, Jos, Plateau State Nigeria.

Newcastle disease (ND) is a highly infectious viral disease of birds caused by the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and it has been reported in domestic birds in Nigeria. Waterfowls and village poultry in live bird markets (LBM) acts as reservoirs, potentially reintroducing the virus to commercial poultry. This study aims at molecular and serological detection of NDV at live bird markets in Plateau State, Nigeria. A cross sectional analysis involved 309 pooled cloacal and tracheal swabs over three months were analyzed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), RT-qPCR, virus isolation and haemagglutination and haemagglutination-inhibition test (HA &HI). Virus isolation was attempted in 9 to 11 days old specific antibody negative (SAN) embryonated chicken eggs and fifteen samples showed haemagglutination. Subsequent tests confimed nine of these as NDV positive through haemagglutination and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) tests. ConventionalRT-PCR and RT-qPCR further validated five of the nine NDV positive isolates. The phylogenetic analysis of partial F gene nucleotide sequences revealed that all three isolates belonged to class II genotype XIV.2_XIVb. This finding underscores the persistent threat of NDV to local poultry, necessitating comprehensive virological surveillance to understand, isolate and characterize the virus in Nigeria. Therefore, monitoring for emerging lineages and sub-lineages in Nigeria birds is crucial for safeguarding commercial poultry production.

Prediction of Tropospheric Ducting for UHF Signals In Plateau State Using Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference Systems (ANFIS)

A study on the occurrence of tropospheric ducting for UHF signal in Plateau State using ANFIS had been investigated using the variation of the meteorological data; temperature, pressure, and relative humidity collected from NIMET for Jos, Plateau State Nigeria. The refractivity gradient was calculated using MATLAB as computational software. The conditions of occurrence of path clearance and tropospheric ducting were utilized to checkmate the occurrence of ducting over the period. The data gotten is used to train an ANFIS model, taking 70% of the data for model training, 20% for testing and 10% for validation. The integrity of the ANFIS model was tested using root mean square error (RMSE) and maximum absolute percentage error (MAPE) which confirmed that the model is accurate to 99% considered fit for forecasting. The developed model was able to mimic the tropospheric ducting trend up to a period of 7 years (2019- 2025) after successful simulation with an assertion that the rainy months are more prevailed to chances of tropospheric ducting occurrence as higher humidity prevails during this time which has more significance on refractivity gradient. An investigation was carried out on the effect of variation of tropospheric parameters; temperature, pressure and humidity on refractivity gradient using linear regression and Spearman correlation to ascertained the degree of dependence of each parameter and the result showed that refractivity gradient is strongly influenced by relative humidity with a correlation coefficient of -0.9772 as against temperature and pressure having correlation coefficients of -0.2587 and 0.2866 respectively.

Tourists’ Awareness and Perception of Indigenous Foods and Beverages in Jos Metropolis, Plateau State Nigeria

Tourists’ Awareness and Perception of Indigenous Foods and Beverages in Jos Metropolis, Plateau State Nigeria

The Domesticationo of Child Protection Policy and Laws and its Implication in Teaching of Primary School Children

The study investigated the domestication of child protection policy and laws, and its implication on teaching primary school children. The study was carried out at Plateau State Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was used in the study. The population for the study was 306, 716 respondents while the sample size for the study was 240 primary school teachers. The teachers were randomly selected from the target population. The simple random sampling technique was use for the choice of the ample. A structured questionnaire titled Investigating the Domestication of Child Protection Policy and Laws in Primary School Questionnaire (IDCPPLSQ) and focus group discussion was used for collecting data. The questionnaires were collected on the spot by the trained research assistants. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics with the use of mean, standard deviation, and simple percentage. The study revealed among others that teachers are aware of the child protection policy and the implication of the domestication of the policy in the study area. The study further revealed the challenges faced in the protecting children from harmful practices among other. Some recommendations were made based on the findings of the study.

Risk Management Strategies: An Empirical Analysis of Strategies Employed by Tourism Business Managers in Plateau State, Nigeria during the COVID-19 Pandemic

81 Vol. 19, Issue 1, 2024: 81–98 DOI: 10.15170/MG.2024.19.01.05 Iirmdu, Tina Odinakachi1 – Donaldson, Ronnie2 Risk Management Strategies: An Empirical Analysis of Strategies Employed by Tourism Business Managers in Plateau State, Nigeria during the COVID-19 Pandemic 3 ABSTRACT The ‘new normal’ era of the COVID-19 pandemic had debilitating effects from a number of restrictions on businesses that have had a significant impact on the travel and hospitality sectors. Chaos theory is applied to investigate the risk management strategies employed by tourism business managers in Plateau State Nigeria, during the pandemic. Interview responses were subjected to qualitative analysis and the findings of this study are consistent with chaos theory. As risk management strategies for the survival of tourism businesses, order and new stability reemerged from a chaotic tourism crisis era. Due to their experiences with the epidemic, managers and owners of tourism-related enterprises decided to base their decisions on planned behaviour. The viewpoints and experiences of managers of tourism-related businesses are valuable sources for practical risk management strategies that can be used in the event of a pandemic. These are priceless resources that will help other tourism sector players comprehend and weigh their alternatives for handling such extraordinary situations in the future.

Leachate migration and percolation consequences on water quality: A case study of Plateau State Nigeria

Leachate water samples were collected from dumpsite and its adjacent area in Jos metropolis to study leachate migration and percolation consequences on water quality. Concentration of various physico-chemical parameters including heavy metal (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, As, V, and Zn) were determined in water and leachate samples. The moderate to high concentrations of Cl, NO3, SO4, Fe, Zn, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) in water, indicate that water quality in the area is being affected by leachate percolation. Surface water has HPI value of 94.52 with mean value of 48.32 which is of the transition stage of medium to high. HEI value computed was 20.07 with mean value of 16 for the surface water, in ground water, HEI value computed was 5.94 with mean value of 0.88. LPI at Honda village showed the lowest values of 16.5, GeroNyango and Sabon Geri Atu village highest value of 20.1 and 23.4. This suggests that leachate percolation is have an effect on water quality which indicates that water in the area is threatened. Government should consider recycling waste, composting, using waste to generate energy, reuse derived full (RDF), solid Recovered (SRF) and engineering landfill as an option.

Antibiotic Resistance Profile of Bacteria Isolated from Stream Water in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria

Water from selected streams in Bokkos local government area of Plateau State Nigeria was obtained and analysed for the presence of antibiotic resistant bacteria and the resistance pattern of the isolates against several antibiotics. A total of 25 stream water samples were collected for testing from five (5) different study sites (Tudu, Mabel, Dairy Farm, Maihakorin Gold and Kuba). Heterotrophic and coliform bacteria were isolated from the samples using 10-fold serial dilution and the pour plate method. The isolated bacteria were Proteus vulgaris, Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp., Shigella spp., Bacillus spp., Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiotic susceptibility of isolates was determined using the disc diffusion method. Among the eight bacterial isolates, Salmonella spp. was the most frequently occurring bacterium 18(22.8%), followed by E. coli 16(20.3%), while the least occurring bacterium was Staphylococcus aureus 5(6.3%). The highest antibiotic resistance was recorded for Salmonella spp., E. coli, and Pseudomonas spp. against ceftazidime 12(67%), Ampicillin 12 (75%), and ceftazidime 11 (92%), respectively. However, E. coli, Proteus spp., Staphylococcus spp., and Shigella spp. showed high antibiotic susceptibility against cefuroxime 0(0%) and Gentamicin 0(0%). The results suggests that there are antibiotic resistance bacteria in stream water in Bokkos local government area of Plateau State. Educational awareness regarding the proper use of safe drinking water and the treatment of water before use should be encouraged.

Assessment of the Physicochemical and Bacteriological Content of Some Drinking Water Sources in Jos South LGA in Northern Senatorial District of Plateau State Nigeria

Drinking water is hardly found 100% pure in nature due to human activities and other natural factors. Many diseases in developing countries are caused by drinking contaminated water. Water samples collected were analyzed by automated instrumental methods prescribed by standard methods for the analysis of water and wastewater and the United State Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The results showed SO42- range from ND to 60.00mg/L; pH 5.27 to 6.79; NO3- 1.19-11,64 mg/L; PO42- 10.12 to 352.00mg/L; Cd range from 0.011± 0.00 to 0.032 ± 0.00mg/L; Ni, from ND to 0.04 mg/L; Cr, ND to 0.686 ± 0.07mg/L; Pb ND to 0.34 ± 0.01mg/L, total bacteria count TaBC, 1.5 x 104 to 8.5 x 104 CFU/mL in the samples used. The calculated average daily intake (ADI) for Cd, Ni, Cr and Pb were within acceptable limits while the hazard quotients (HQ) for all the metals were >1, signifying that the population would experience non-cancer risks due to exposure to these metals in drinking water. The bacteriological study of the water samples also revealed that the water samples were all polluted with bacteria and coliforms. From the foregoing, these drinking water sources, therefore require treatment before consumption to minimize or avoid the incidences of water-related diseases.

Level of Some Heavy Metal Contamination of Water and Sediments of River Pil-Gani Plateau State Nigeria

Level of Some Heavy Metal Contamination of Water and Sediments of River Pil-Gani Plateau State Nigeria

Efficacy of Jatropha curcas Leaf Extract on Some Isolates Associated with Surgical Wounds

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the antibacterial efficacy of Jatropha curcas leaf extract against some isolates associated with surgical wounds.
 Study Design: This was a hospital-based study conducted in 2017 in the Department of medical microbiology unit of Bingham university teaching hospital and the national veterinary research institute (NVRI) both institutions are located in Jos Plateau State Nigeria.
 Methodology: A total of twenty (20) isolates from clinical specimens of surgical wounds were used. The following bacteria were identified using biochemical analysis: Staphylococcus aureus (15), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (3). Using standard methods of ethanol and aqueous extraction techniques, the leaves of the Jatropha curcas were examined for phytochemical content. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the isolate were determined using the broth dilution method, while the antibacterial activity of the isolate was observed using the agar well diffusion techniques.
 Results: The result of the phytochemical extraction shows the presence of the following Alkaloids (secondary metabolite) Saponins, Tannins, glycosides, Flavonoids, Oxalate, Terpenoids, Resins and steroids. The ethanol extract of Jatropha curcas exhibited antimicrobial activity against all the test bacteria with higher activity recorded with Staphylococcus aureus (15 mm) followed by Klebsiella pneumonia (12 mm) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (10 mm). Aqueous extract of Jatropha curcas leaves did not exhibit significant antimicrobial activity against all the test isolates when compared to Ethanol Extraction However Aqueous extract of Jatropha curcas had a slight antimicrobial activity against only Staphylococcus aureus in the range of (5 mm to 7 mm). The MIC value for the ethanol extract of Jatropha curcas ranged from 100mg/ml to 200mg/ml while the MIC value for the aqueous extract was 200mg/ml. 
 Conclusion: The result of the present study shows that the ethanol and aqueous extracts of Jatropha Curcas leaves possess some antibacterial activities. The ethanol extract had higher antimicrobial activity than the aqueous extract on surgical wounds. It could therefore be inferred that these leaves contain bioactive constituents which can effectively inhibit the growth of some microorganisms. The plant could be used as an alternative therapy in the treatment of surgical wounds.

Impact of School’s Violence on Educational Career of Female Students with Hearing Impairment in Federal College of Education Pankshin, Plateau State, Nigeria

Students in schools often experience physical violence such as; teasing, stigmatization, psychological, verbal abuse and sexual harassment, including rape. Fear of violence attack prevents many girls with hearing impairment from attending social gathering due to their communication and language problems. This study examined the impact of school’s violence on educational career of female students with hearing impairment in federal college of education Pankshin, plateau, Nigeria. The main objectives of the research are to find out the types of violence experienced by female students with hearing impairment studying in Federal College of education Pankshin and examine the impact of violence on education of female students with hearing impairment after experiencing the trauma of violence. The following research questions were also formulated to guide the study. What types of violence commonly experienced by girls with hearing impairment studying in FCE Pankshin? To what extent has violence affected academic achievement of girls with hearing impairment in FCE Pankshin. Qualitative design was used to conduct the study. The population of the study consisted of 21 female students with hearing impairment in special education department Federal College of Education Pankshin, Plateau State Nigeria. A sample of eight (8) females with hearing impairment was randomly selected from the study. All the eight girls in the department were interviewed to find out if they have ever been a victim of violence. The responses of the students were grouped into four themes. Namely; physical, psychological, sexual and verbal abuse. The results showed that sexual abuse at school affects students with hearing impairment mental health and self-esteem. It leads to drop-out from school. The study researcher concluded that all types of violence have negative effects on the overall personality and in particular academic performance of victim. It was recommended that special education teachers should collaborate with the counsellors to maintain a supportive school environment for students hearing impairment through enlightenment campaign of the need to effectively implement the objectives of inclusive education in the college. Female students, especially those with any form of disabilities must be empowered to speak against such bizarre actions.