For several decades, Nigerian cities have been experiencing a decline in their biodiversity resulting from rapid land use land cover (LULC) changes. Anticipating short/long-term consequences, this study hypothesised the effects of LULC variables in Akure, a developing tropical rainforest city in south-west Nigeria. A differentiated trend of urban LULC was determined over a period covering 1999–2019. The study showed the net change for bare land, built-up area, cultivated land, forest cover and grassland over the two decades to be −292.68 km2, +325.79 km2, +88.65 km2, +8.62 km2 and −131.38 km2, respectively. With a projected population increase of about 46.85%, the study identified that the built-up land cover increased from 1.98% to 48.61%. The change detection analysis revealed an upsurge in built area class. The expansion indicated a significant inverse correlation with the bare land class (50.97% to 8.66%) and grassland class (36.33% to 17.94%) over the study period. The study observed that the land consumption rate (in hectares) steadily increased by 0.00505, 0.00362 and 0.0687, in the year 1999, 2009 and 2019, respectively. This rate of increase is higher than studies conducted in more populated cities. The Cellular Automata (CA) Markovian analysis predicted a 37.92% growth of the study area will be the built-up area in the next two decades (2039). The 20-year prediction for Akure built-up area is within range when compared to CA Markov prediction for other cities across the globe. The findings of this study will guide future planning for rational LULC evaluation.

While it is anticipated that there would be some similarities amongst spectral Vegetation Indices (VIs) because the majority of the indices use the red and NIR bands, it is also expected that there would be some variances. The NDVI, derived earlier by Rouse (1973), and is the commonly used VI, there have meagre understanding of the relationship between the NDVI and another VIs. Similarly, investigations on the correlation between LST and other VIs (other than NDVI) in both dry and raining seasons have not been adequately explored. This motivated the study to determine the seasonal correlation of some spectral VIs against the NDVI and LST over the forest reserve area. The study investigated two categories of VIs: slope-based and distance-based. It derived spectral VIs from Landsat 8 images for dry (January) and raining (August) seasons; and estimated LST from MODIS. The findings showed that the ARVI, GNDVI and TVI not only showed resemblance in appearance with the NDVI in both seasons, but also had a high coefficient of correlation: ARVI = 0.973, 0.964; GNDVI = 0.919, 0.879; TVI = 0.779, 0.716. Based on this finding, the ARVI, GNDVI and TVI can be used to supplant the NDVI for biomass related studies in the study area. The study further revealed that the LST-VIs relationship was negative for both dry and rainy seasons, except for the distance-based VIs (DVI, SAVI, MSAVI) that specifically had a positive correlation with the LST. The LST was strongly correlated with the GNDVI, TVI, NDVI, ARVI (0.664 ? r ? 0.598). However, the strength of the correlation for the LST-VIs in the raining season was very weak (0.003 ? r ? 0.245). The study concluded that the correlation of the LST versus the ARVI, GNDVI, NDVI, and TVI can be used for climate related studies.

This research work assessed the Drilling and Blasting Techniques at the Granite Quarry of AFDIN Construction Company Limited, Katsina State, Nigeria. The objectives were to identify drilling and blasting equipment, find out the drilling pattern and parameters, assess blasting method and its compliance with safety practices in and around the blast site and review the impact of the blasting operations on the surrounding environment. As an introduction, the concept of drilling and blasting activities and how they affect immediate environment were explained. The study assessed quarry activities using field visit and interviews. Equipment identified at the quarry were Wagon drill, Jack hammer, Compressors, Rock breaker, Excavators and tippers, etc. Also, Atlas Copco YT27 Jack Hammer was the main tool for hole drilling with either Square or Rectangular drilling pattern being adopted and Drilling dimensions of 4x5ft or 4x4ft (spacing and burden) were frequently used at the Quarry. Hole depths used were 6ft, 8ft, 10ft, and 12ft and drilling bit of 1-inch or 2-inch. Furthermore, the study identified that, 2,088.95 kg of explosives (10% High Explosive and 90% Low Explosive) was used to charge 2000 drilled holes with an average hole depth of 3.65metres and diameter of 32mm. A total of 7,394 tonnes of granite rock was blasted. Result from immediate blasting at the quarry indicated presence of dust and fumes within the quarry environment and nearby villages, inhalation of which could lead to serious occupational hazards. Conclusively, the explosion sound from blasting and fly-rock fragments have some serious environmental and health effects to both workers and neighbouring communities in terms of noise pollution and vibration to structures. Wetting the environment and crushing process was recommended to minimise dust generation to barest minimum to protect workers from occupational diseases such as silicosis and Pneumoconiosis, also wearing of personal protective equipment, electric blasting method, corporate social responsibilities to the communities were recommended.

Urbanization has impacts on social change and modernization which are parts of a continuum rather than empirically separate issues. Suleja has been surrounded with growing settlements whose influence constantly threatens the infrastructural facilities. There has been difficulty monitoring the extent and rapidity of the changes occurring within the area. The research aimed to assess the changes in educational landuse in Suleja between 2009 and 2019 and also to identify the magnitude of the change. 375 questionnaires were administered in a proportion of interval of houses based on arrangement in the study area to acquire the socio-economic characteristics of the area. Population data was also used to analysis growth pattern(s) in the area and field survey was carried to ascertain the numbers of schools in the study area. It was discovered that 4708sqm of land was used for educational purpose as at 2000 and there was an increase to 8552sqm as at 2012 and 127431.8sqm in 2019. The study also noted that majority of schools within the residential areas are private owned. It also noted that majority of private own school were within the residential areas. It was therefore recommended that a New Master Plan for Suleja should be developed because the only available one was developed in 1986.

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