NEWS
Power Outage Hits Presidential Villa, Maitama, Others As Vandals Strike
Power supply has been disrupted in several areas of Abuja, including parts of the Presidential Villa, Maitama, Wuse, Jabi, Life Camp, Asokoro, Utako, and Mabushi, following an incident of cable vandalism.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) disclosed that vandals targeted a 132kV transmission line, stealing underground cables and a 40-meter stretch of 1x500mm XLPE conductor.
The affected cables supply bulk electricity to the Central Area transmission substation in Katampe.
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“Consequently, areas experiencing power outage include Maitama, Wuse, Jabi, Life Camp, Asokoro, Utako, Mabushi, and parts of Presidential Villa,” TCN General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, said in a statement on Friday.
Mbah confirmed that the incident has impacted eight distribution feeders, disrupting over 60 percent of the power supply to Abuja.
She further noted, “The vandalism of this critical infrastructure is suspected to have occurred near the Menillum Park axis of Abuja.”
In response to the disruption, the TCN has deployed engineers to repair the damaged cables. “We appeal to residents in the affected areas to remain patient while efforts to repair the damaged cables are underway,” Mbah added.
She also expressed concern about the recurring issue of cable vandalism, which continues to hinder power delivery nationwide.
Mbah called on Nigerians to remain vigilant and to help protect power infrastructure from further acts of vandalism.
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) also issued a notice confirming the outage and its impact on customers.
“Dear Valued Customers, this is to inform residents around Federal Secretariat, Wuse Zone 1-7, Central Mosque, Energy Commission, Transcorp Hotel, Eagle Square, Yar’adua Centre, the entire Central Area, TCN HQ, CAC HQ, NYSC HQ, INEC, the entire Maitama, Kado Estate, parts of Jabi District, Area 7, 8 & 10 Garki, and its environs that the power outage being experienced is due to a fault on the 132kV lines 1&2 from Katampe to AT5 Central Area Transmission Station,” the notice read.
Efforts to repair the damaged cables are ongoing, with authorities working to restore power to the affected areas as quickly as possible.
NEWS
Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban Law, App Faces Potential Shutdown In U.S.
The United States Supreme Court has upheld a contentious law that could see TikTok banned from U.S. app stores as early as this Sunday.
The decision hinges on TikTok’s ownership by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, and has sparked significant debate regarding national security, data privacy, and the broader implications for social media platforms within the country.
The announcement was confirmed by DiscussingFilm, which reported, “The Supreme Court will uphold the TikTok ban. The app will likely be banned in the U.S. on Sunday.”
READ MORE: BREAKING: US Supreme Court Orders TikTok Ban
This development follows ongoing concerns from U.S. lawmakers over the potential risks posed by TikTok’s ties to China, including fears about data harvesting and its alleged influence on American users. For months, the Biden administration and members of Congress have pressured ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. operations to alleviate these concerns. However, no deal has been reached thus far.
The Supreme Court’s ruling has led to widespread discussions about the future of TikTok and other foreign-owned platforms in the United States. Some critics argue that the ban could set a dangerous precedent for limiting free expression, while others see it as a necessary step to protect national security.
As the deadline approaches, TikTok users and influencers in the U.S. are left scrambling to understand the implications of the ban and explore alternative platforms. Unless ByteDance complies with the government’s demand to sell the app, TikTok may disappear from U.S. app stores in the coming days.
NEWS
Appeal Court Upholds Julius Abure As Labour Party National Chairman
The Appeal Court has affirmed Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).
The confirmation was announced through a post on the Labour Party’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle.
It read: “Barr Julius Abure remains the LP National Chairman, Appeal Court Rules.”
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Further verification was provided by the Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, who confirmed the development in a phone call.
This ruling follows a previous judgement by a Federal High Court, which had also recognised Abure as the rightful leader of the Labour Party.
The latest decision by the Appeal Court solidifies Abure’s leadership and is expected to bring clarity to the party’s internal structure.
More details on the ruling are expected to be released soon.
NEWS
Dangote Refinery Raises Petrol Price To N955 Per Litre
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced an increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly referred to as petrol.
The revised price, which takes effect from Friday, January 17, 2025, sets the cost at N955 per litre for marketers purchasing between 2 million and 4.99 million litres. Those buying 5 million litres and above will pay N950 per litre.
This adjustment represents a 6.17% increase from the previous price of N899.50 per litre set in December 2024.
In an official statement, the refinery disclosed: “Kindly be advised that effective from 5:30 PM today, an upward adjustment has been implemented on the gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit.
Quantity and Price Adjustments:
2 million–4.99 million litres: N955 per litre
5 million litres and above: N950 per litre
“Please note that all stock balances yet to be lifted as at the above-stated time are to be repriced at the new reviewed prices.
“We shall communicate with customers on their revised volumes based on the reviewed prices, in due course.”
This price increase has sparked discussions among marketers and stakeholders as it reflects a continued trend of rising fuel costs in the country.