MAN, 60, CAUGHT WITH AT LEAST 12 SOAKED SANITARY PADS AND FEMALE UNDERWEARS

A 60-year-old suspected ritualist was caught in Akure, the Ondo State capital on Wednesday evening with dozens of female underwear.

The suspects, whose real name was not disclosed at the time of this report, was caught at Danjuma area, along Isikan road in Akure.

Several eyewitnesses told SaharaReporters that the man was caught by commercial motorcylists while picking female undergarments. He was beaten to a pulp and stripped.

One of the witnesses, Miss Adeola Oluwasegun, said the suspect was first mistaken for a mentally unstable person by the residents until he was exposed.

"We first saw the old man roaming the streets like a mentally unstable man, holding a small bag, and we thought he was begging for food or money. Later, we noticed some commercial motorcyclists shouting 'Thief! Thief!!' from afar. They dragged the bag from him, and it was discovered that he had items such as bra, panties, clothes and soaked sanitary pads in his possession.

"Many residents were angry and they gave him the serious beating of his life. In fact, they nearly lynched him before he was whisked away by some elderly people."

At least 12 soaked sanitary pads and underwears were found in possession of the suspect. It was learnt that the suspect was later handed over to officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Oladipo Samuel, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the NSCDC in Ondo State, confirmed the incident when contacted by SaharaReporters.

Samuel added that the suspect was in custody and helping with investigation and would be handed over to the Police soon.

"Truly, he was handed over to our men yesterday and he is helping our team of investigators in the office with very useful information. We would get back to you after our investigation and probably before we hand him over to the Police for proper prosecution over the case," he said.

STUDY SHOWS INDIAN HEMP CONSUMPTION AFFECTS DNA PROFILE IN SPERM

Indian-hemp-farm

A recent study from Duke University Medical Center, United States reveals that exposure to cannabis or Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) by men in their child-bearing years alters the genetic profile of their sperm.

The study also revealed that many outside factors can effect sperm, ranging from tobacco smoke to pesticides, flame retardants to obesity, all of which can have epigenetic effects.

Epigenetics are inheritable traits that don’t effect DNA sequencing, but typically stem from life experiences.

The new research shows that THC can affect epigenetics, causing structural and regulatory changes in the DNA of users’ sperm.

The study which looked at 24 men discovered that THC appears to target genes in two major cellular pathways and alters DNA methylation, a process essential to normal development

The senior author of the study, Scott Kollins, a Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences said, “what we have found is that the effects of cannabis use on males and their reproductive health are not completely null.

“In that there’s something about cannabis use that affects the genetic profile in sperm.”

The co-author of the study, Susan Murphy, an Associate Professor said “We know that there are effects of cannabis use on the regulatory mechanisms in sperm DNA, but we don’t know whether they can be transmitted to the next generation.”

Murphy added that “In the absence of a larger, definitive study, the best advice would be to assume these changes are going to be there. We don’t know whether they are going to be permanent.

“I would say, as a precaution, stop using cannabis for at least six months before trying to conceive,” she stressed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Cannabis or Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the THC which contains mind-altering chemicals and other similar compounds.

(NAN)