'Paracetamol making women deaf’

Women who take paracetamol or ibuprofen just twice a week could be damaging their hearing permanently.

Taking two painkillers a week for more than six years has been linked with significant hearing loss, with the drugs thought to cut blood supply to the inner ear and expose it to noise damage.

As many as one in 20 women suffering partial deafness could blame their painkiller use, a study has found.

The study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology, and first reported by DailyMailUK stated: “If this is a causal relation, it suggests that a substantial proportion of hearing loss attributable to use of analgesics (painkillers) is potentially preventable.”

The findings back up similar research in men, suggesting middle-aged women, who commonly take paracetamol and ibuprofen for headaches and back pain, should consider cutting down.

Senior author Dr. Gary Curhan, from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the United States (U.S.), said: “Hearing loss is extremely common and can have a profound impact on quality of life.

“Finding modifiable risk factors could help us identify ways to lower risk before hearing loss begins and slow progression in those with hearing loss.”

Almost one in 12 women take paracetamol on two days of every week, the US study found, usually to ward off routine aches and pains. This could be only two pills over the two days, or a greater dose.

But paracetamol, ibuprofen and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs taken this often for more than six years raise the risk of developing hearing loss by nine per cent.

This was found by examining 55,850 women between the age of 44 and 69 – almost half of whom reported a hearing problem.

Around one in six people in the United Kingdom (U.K.) have hearing problems, which can leave people feeling cut off and lonely and has been found to speed up memory loss and dementia.

The study suggests this could be down to paracetamols, which most people think little of swallowing routinely but evidence shows can reduce the blood supply to the cochlea, or inner ear.

Paracetamol is also believed to deplete antioxidants within the ear, making the cochlea more vulnerable to noise-induced damage. Painkillers damage the tiny hairs within the ear which help us hear and have been linked in younger and older women with a higher risk of hearing loss.

Kidnapped two-year-old daughter of slain woman regains freedom

Faridah Alli-Balogun, the two-year-old girl, who was kidnapped by some gunmen after her mother was killed during a traffic robbery at Asolo bus stop, Ikorodu Road, has been freed.

It was learnt that the girl was released by her captors after the family negotiated with the kidnappers and paid an undisclosed ransom.

It had been reported that Aisha and two other persons were killed by the bandits, who also whisked away several victims after the operation through the waterways in the area.

Aisha was reportedly trying to flee the scene with her daughter when she was shot and her daughter abducted.

It was also reported that the assailants shot at people who ran into a bush around the bus stop, leading to more casualties.

The development had prompted the state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, to seek details of the victims from their relatives to assist in the police rescue mission and the arrest of the suspects.

“We gathered that two lives were lost while militants were firing and that some persons were kidnapped. No family member of those involved has shown up. The relatives of the victims should report at the nearest police station. It is when we have information about the victims that we can act more decisively,” the CP had said.

A source close to the family told our correspondent on Tuesday that Faridah was released after negotiation.

“The father negotiated with the kidnappers and the baby was released. But he does not want to say anything about the incident for now. The police were not instrumental to the release of the girl,” he said.

A friend of the deceased’s husband, Segun Fajol, told PUNCH Metro on Tuesday that Faridah regained freedom at about 8pm on Monday, adding that she was in good condition.

He said, “Faridah has been reunited with the family and she is very fine. The father does not want further publicity about the situation.”

The Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed that Faridah had regained her freedom. - Punch

AGF Malami queries Magu, begins probe into DSS allegations

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, has begun investigations into various allegations against some top Federal Government officials as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday.

Our correspondents learnt on Tuesday that following the President’s directive, the AGF had, on Monday, issued a query to the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.

Sources in the Federal Ministry of Justice and the EFCC confirmed that the query was delivered to Magu on Monday.

It was learnt that the query was accompanied by allegations contained in the security report prepared by the Department of State Services and upon which the Senate had, last Thursday, rejected his confirmation as the EFCC chairman.

“The AGF has started enforcing the directive by the President. I can confirm to you that the minister has taken the first step by querying the Acting Chairman of the EFCC,” a source in the Federal Ministry of Justice said.

The source could, however, not confirm what step the AGF had taken on the allegations levelled against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal.

The source could also not confirm the ultimatum issued to Magu to respond to the query.

Meanwhile, a source close to the acting chairman of the commission said the anti-corruption officer had received the query.

He said he had already commenced preparing his defence to the allegations raised by the DSS.

The source added, “Yes, he has received the query with the DSS report sent to the Senate on him.

“Ironically, the query only contains one of the letters written by the DSS to the Senate.

“I think he has no problem with the query, but the question being asked by some people is that, he ought to have been given time to respond to the allegations before the Senate took that position.”

The letter, dated October 3, was addressed to the Clerk of the Senate, in response to a letter by the Senate, dated September 21, 2016, asking for Magu’s security check.

The report, which listed several alleged offences against the EFCC boss, said his confirmation would frustrate the anti-graft drive of the Buhari-led administration.

Part of the allegations against Magu was his being in possession of EFCC documents in his private residence during the chairmanship of Farida Waziri.

The DSS also made reference to the circumstances surrounding Magu’s arrest, detention and suspension by the Nigeria Police.

The secret service also alleged that the sum of N40m was paid for the rented apartment, which costs N20m per annum, where the acting EFCC chairman currently resides in Abuja.

It added that the accommodation was not paid for from the commission’s account but by a presidential appointee, who had been under investigation.

The DSS alleged that after renting the apartment for Magu, the friend awarded a N43m contract for the furnishing of the accommodation.

The appointee, who is a retired Air Commodore, was said to be a close associate and ally of Magu, and allegedly “runs questionable business” and was once arrested by the service.

The report, which cleared the other four EFCC appointees, said Magu flew a private jet owned by the retired military officer.

The service also claimed that the EFCC boss was once in the same flight to Maiduguri with a Managing Director of one of the new generation banks, who it alleged, was under investigation.

The Senate had, at plenary on Wednesday, called for the removal and prosecution of the SGF following alleged complicity in contract awards to take care of the Internally Displaced  Persons in the North-East.

This followed the presentation of the interim report of the Senate Ad hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North-East by the Chairman of the Committee, Shehu Sani.

The call for Lawal’s removal followed alleged contravention of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act and the Federal Government’s Financial Rules and Regulations pertaining to award of contracts.

Presenting the report, Sani said some of the contracts were awarded to companies belonging to top government officials’ cronies and family members.

He explained that the committee found out that Global Vision Engineering Limited, a company, with Lawal as Director, for instance, was awarded a consultancy contract.

Sani said despite being an IT company, the firm got a job to clear grass in Yobe State at N200m.

He said although Lawal resigned the directorship of the said company in September 2016, it was on record that he was a signatory to the accounts of the company.

Lawal denied all the allegations, saying “the Senate is talking balderdash; it has developed a bring-him-down syndrome.”

$1.1bn Malabu oil scam: Ex-AGF Adoke sent $800m to ex-minister, firm – EFCC

The immediate past Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), may soon be extradited from his new home in Holland as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has filed charges before a Federal High Court in Abuja for his alleged role in the $1.1bn Malabu oil scam.

The Malabu oil scam, which has been under investigation for over four years, relates to the billions of dollars paid by oil giants, Shell and ENI, into a Federal Government account, for OPL 245, considered the richest oil block in Africa.

The money was allegedly diverted by Adoke and paid into private accounts.

The EFCC accused Adoke of illegally transferring over $800m to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dan Etete, and Etete’s oil firm, Malabu Oil & Gas Limited from a Federal Government account.

The commission also accused oil magnate, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, the Chairman of A. A. Group and Rocky Top Services, of receiving $336,456,906.78.

The charge reads, “That you, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), on or about August 10, 2011 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, aided Dauzia Loya Etete (aka Dan Etete) and Malabu Oil & Gas Limited to commit the offence of money laundering by facilitating the payment of an aggregate sum of $801,540,000 only to Dauzia Loya Etete (aka Dan Etete) and Malabu Oil & Gas through the Federal Government of Nigeria Escrow account with number 41451493, IBAN GB 30CHAS609242411493 with JP Morgan Chase Bank in London, which you reasonably ought to have known represented the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: fraud, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”

It was learnt that Adoke, who has been in Holland since last year, would be arraigned in absentia.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria had refused to honour all EFCC invitations, claiming that he was undertaking a degree in Holland.

He claimed his academic programme was about to end and would return in August but refused to return since then.

He subsequently wrote a letter to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, stating that he would not return because he had uncovered a plot by the EFCC and some of his political enemies to disgrace him in Nigeria.

A source at the EFCC said, “We have given Adoke enough time but he refused to honour any invitation; so, we will arraign him in absentia. It is expected that the court will issue a bench warrant on him and we can go ahead to declare him wanted.

“Since we know his location, we will begin extradition proceedings against him and ensure that he is brought back if he continues to remain uncooperative.”

The EFCC also slammed four charges against ex-oil minister, Etete, and Malabu Oil & Gas Limited for allegedly receiving $400m and $401m at separate times in August 2011 from Adoke, adding that Etete knew that the money was stolen.

The commission accused Etete of collecting the monies and paying them into the accounts of Malabu Oil & Gas Limited.

The charges read, “That you, Dauzia Loya Etet (aka Dan Etete), and Malabu Oil & Gas Limited on or about August 24, 2011, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, directly or indirectly took control of the sum of $400,000,000, paid from the Federal Government of Nigeria Escrow account No 41451493 IBAN 30CHAS609242411492 with JP Morgan Chase Bank in London, into the account of Malabu Oil & Gas Limited, domiciled in PHB Plc (now Keystone Bank) Account No 1005552028.

“That you (Etete and Malabu Oil & Gas Limited) on or about August 10, 2011, directly or indirectly took control of the sum of $401,000,000, paid from the Federal Government of Nigeria Escrow account No 41451493 IBAN GB 30CHAS609242411493 with JP Morgan Chase Bank in London, into the account of Malabu Oil & Gas Limited domiciled in First Bank of Nigeria Plc Account No 2011828805, when you knew the funds formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity to wit: fraud, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”

Customs intercept 102 bags of plastic rice

The Federal Operations Unit, Ikeja, of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted 102 bags of plastic rice branded “Beat Tomato Rice’’ with no date of manufacture.

The Customs Area Controller of  F.O.U. Comptroller Mohammed Haruna, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Lagos.

He said that the commodity was stored for distribution as Yuletide gifts for the public.

Haruna said that officers of the unit intercepted the plastic rice along Ikeja area on Monday, adding that a suspect was arrested in connection with the seizure.

“Before now, I thought it was a rumour that the plastic rice is all over the country but with this seizure, I have been totally convinced that such rice exists.

“We have done the preliminary analysis on the plastic rice. After boiling, it was sticky and only God knows what would have happened if people consumed it.

“I advise those economic saboteurs who see Yuletide season as a peak period for nefarious acts to desist from such illegal business.

“The unit has decided other operational modalities that will give them a run for their monies and count their losses,” NAN quoted the controller as saying.

He described smuggling as a global phenomenon, adding that such act could not be curbed entirely but could be brought to its barest minimum.

Haruna appreciated well-meaning Nigerians who provided the service with prompt information that led to the discovery of the bags of plastic rice.

The controller, however, advised the media to educate the public on the existence of plastic rice, adding that it was no longer a rumour.

Haruna assured Nigerians that the distribution point of the particular plastic rice seized by the unit had been blocked with immediate effect.

He said that investigation was still ongoing.

The controller said the unit would hand over the plastic rice to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control for proper investigation.

THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE HABIT 7: SHARPEN THE SAW

Sharpen the Saw means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have--you. It means having a balanced program for self-renewal in the four areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual. Here are some examples of activities:

Physical:	Beneficial eating, exercising, and resting
Social/Emotional:	Making social and meaningful connections with others
Mental:	Learning, reading, writing, and teaching
Spiritual:	Spending time in nature, expanding spiritual self through meditation, music, art, prayer, or service

As you renew yourself in each of the four areas, you create growth and change in your life. Sharpen the Saw keeps you fresh so you can continue to practice the other six habits. You increase your capacity to produce and handle the challenges around you. Without this renewal, the body becomes weak, the mind mechanical, the emotions raw, the spirit insensitive, and the person selfish. Not a pretty picture, is it?

Feeling good doesn't just happen. Living a life in balance means taking the necessary time to renew yourself. It's all up to you. You can renew yourself through relaxation. Or you can totally burn yourself out by overdoing everything. You can pamper yourself mentally and spiritually. Or you can go through life oblivious to your well-being. You can experience vibrant energy. Or you can procrastinate and miss out on the benefits of good health and exercise. You can revitalize yourself and face a new day in peace and harmony. Or you can wake up in the morning full of apathy because your get-up-and-go has got-up-and-gone. Just remember that every day provides a new opportunity for renewal--a new opportunity to recharge yourself instead of hitting the wall. All it takes is the desire, knowledge, and skill.

THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE HABIT 6: SYNERGIZE

To put it simply, synergy means "two heads are better than one." Synergize is the habit of creative cooperation. It is teamwork, open-mindedness, and the adventure of finding new solutions to old problems. But it doesn't just happen on its own. It's a process, and through that process, people bring all their personal experience and expertise to the table. Together, they can produce far better results that they could individually. Synergy lets us discover jointly things we are much less likely to discover by ourselves. It is the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. One plus one equals three, or six, or sixty--you name it.

When people begin to interact together genuinely, and they're open to each other's influence, they begin to gain new insight. The capability of inventing new approaches is increased exponentially because of differences.

Valuing differences is what really drives synergy. Do you truly value the mental, emotional, and psychological differences among people? Or do you wish everyone would just agree with you so you could all get along? Many people mistake uniformity for unity; sameness for oneness. One word--boring! Differences should be seen as strengths, not weaknesses. They add zest to life.