MINISTER WIKE SAYS OUTCOME OF FCT POLLS ENDORSEMENT OF TINUBU’S LEADERSHIP

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, says the outcome of Saturday’s area council elections reflect President Bola Tinubu’s visionary leadership.

Wike made the remarks during a broadcast in Abuja, thanking President Tinubu for strengthening residents’ confidence in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

The FCT Minister described the results as evidence that the Renewed Hope Agenda has restored optimism and confidence among FCT residents, adding that the peaceful conduct of the poll equally demonstrated the people’s commitment to democracy and good governance.

The minister thanked residents for believing in what he called a “renewed and credible democratic process” championed by the Tinubu-led administration.

He also commended all candidates for participating in the election and upholding democratic values.

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NERC WARNS AGAINST CONTACT WITH VICTIMS OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has issued a safety advisory warning to residents in a bid to maintain a safe distance from live electrical wires and to avoid touching anyone in contact with electricity.

In a public statement on its X handle on Monday, NERC emphasized that electricity is extremely dangerous and that attempting to rescue someone without proper precautions could result in additional injuries or fatalities.

NERC therefore outlined critical safety measures to include; Never touch a live wire or a victim directly, stand back: Maintain a safe distance and ensure others do the same, and Immediately notify the nearest electricity distribution company or emergency services.

The commission further urged residents to act responsibly and allow trained personnel to handle electrical emergencies, noting that following these steps could save lives and prevent further accidents.

The advisory is part of NERC’s ongoing efforts to educate communities about electrical safety and reduce accidents caused by fallen power lines or other electrical hazards, just as residents are encouraged to share the message to help protect their families and neighbors.

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NAFDAC ALERTS NIGERIANS ON SUSPECTED REVALIDATED SMA GOLD FORMULA

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has alerted the public about a suspected revalidated batch of SMA Gold First Infant Milk Formula (900 grams) being sold in Kaduna State.

NAFDAC on its official X handle said the suspected product was found with altered expiry dates and linked to infant gastrointestinal distress in a four-month-old infant following consumption.

The agency disclosed that the four‑month‑old infant’s diarrhoea case points to possible product deterioration, risking acute gastroenteritis, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalance in infants.

Others are malnutrition due to compromised nutritional content, secondary infections in immunocompromised infants and fatal outcomes in severe cases if contaminated with pathogenic bacteria.

According to the agency, a physical examination of the complaint product sample revealed clear indicators of date marking alteration.

It said the manufacturing and expiry date on the top preprinted sticker was inconsistent with the underlying, originally printed version which confirmed the suspicion of revalidation and tampering.

The agency also noted that SMA Gold Infant Formula is a nutritionally complete, whey-dominant formula designed to mirror the nutritional profile of breast milk for babies from birth to six months.

NAFDAC said the integrity of the product is dependent on compliance with regulatory requirements, noting that any alteration or extension of the shelf life without regulatory approval poses significant risks to public health.

The regulatory body warns that revalidating infant‑formula dates is a serious violation, risking adulteration, consumer deception, and public health harm.

It added that expired formulas can harbour microbes and lose nutrients, endangering infants with vulnerable immune systems.

NAFDAC disclosed that the revalidated SMA Gold formula is a Nestle product with batch number (22939510A1206 07:35), with a revalidated manufacture date of Jan. 20, 2025 and expiring date of Jan. 20, 2027.

The agency said its investigation reveals that the original manufacturing date of the revalidated formula is May 28, 2023, and the expiration date of May 28, 2025, has NAFDAC Reg. No B1-2783.

It said the agency remains committed to safeguarding public health and will continue surveillance activities to ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of all NAFDAC-regulated products circulating in Nigeria.

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TCN RESTORES 330KV SHIRORO–MANDO LINE TO SERVICE

The Transmission Company of Nigeria has successfully restored the 330kV Shiroro–Mando Transmission Line 2 to service after completing essential repair works.

In a post on its X handle on Monday, the General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, said the transmission line was re-energised following extensive technical interventions carried out by TCN engineers.

According to the company, the restoration process was executed with a focus on ensuring the integrity and operational reliability of the infrastructure, with strict adherence to safety and quality standards.

The general manager added that the return of both circuits marks an important milestone in TCN’s ongoing efforts to upgrade and strengthen the country’s transmission infrastructure, ensuring a more reliable power supply across the network.

TCN further expressed gratitude for the cooperation and understanding shown by customers and stakeholders during the outage period.

The company therefore reaffirmed its commitment to building a more resilient and efficient national grid for the benefit of all Nigerians.

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PLATEAU YOUTHS PROTEST, BLOCK HIGHWAY AFTER 10 DEATHS

Youths in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State on Monday blocked the highway leading to Jos to protest the killing of community members by gunmen who attacked the area on Sunday.

The youths, who were joined by women and other sympathisers, have refused all entreaties to vacate the road and have vowed to remain there until the perpetrators of the attack are apprehended and punished according to the law.

One of the protesters, Samson Godiya, lamenting the situation, said members of the community have suffered for too long in the hands of the attackers whom they suspect to be Fulani herdsmmen.

Recall that the death toll in the latest wave of violent attacks in the community had risen to 10, following the recovery of additional bodies from affected communities in Barkin Ladi on Monday.

The attack, which occurred on Sunday evening in Barkin Ladi LGA, is part of a growing security challenge in the state, where several communities have been repeatedly targeted by gunmen, leading to significant loss of life and displacement of residents.

A community leader with the Berom Youth Moulders Association, Rwang Tengwong, confirmed the recovery of the bodies to reporters in Jos on Monday, stating that the victims were rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent medical attention, and the injured victims are still recovering.

Our correspondent reports that following the youths’ action, motorists coming from the Shendam and Langtang axis have been stopped from moving to Jos, while those from Jos are waiting to be allowed to move.

Some of the protesters in separate interviews told PUNCH Online that the road would remain blocked, “ those who killed our people are brought to justice ”

When contacted, the spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Alfred Alabo, was unreachable for comment as of the time of filing this report.

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SONG WRITER SIMI ADDRESSES RESURFACED TWEETS AFTER RAPE ADVOCACY

Nigerian singer and songwriter Simisola Kosoko, also known as Simi, has responded to controversy surrounding some of her old social media posts, stating that the comments were misinterpreted and unrelated to any improper conduct.

The reaction followed renewed online discussions after the singer spoke against rape amid conversations triggered by the Mirabel TikToker case, which recently gained traction on social media.

She said that men should stop raping women and rapists should be castrated, citing that almost every woman she knows has been sexually assaulted, which resulted in a social media battle between her and those with contradictory opinions

After days of backlash by trolls on the X app, Simi shared a statement via her social media page that artiste was alerted to the tweets she made years ago and felt compelled to provide context.

Simi explained that the posts dated back to 2012, a period she described as markedly different from her current public visibility.

According to her, she was living with her mother at the time and assisting at her mother’s daycare centre while building her music career.

Addressing the nature of the posts, the singer said the tweets reflected casual observations about children at the daycare.

Simi also disclosed that some of the posts had been removed due to the sensitivity of the situation.

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NEW YORK ORDERS CITYWIDE TRAVEL BAN AS MAJOR STORM HITS U.S

New York has ordered drivers to stay off the road and shut down schools on Monday, while residents braced for a massive snowstorm hitting the northeast of the United States.

Tens of millions of Americans from the US capital, Washington, to the northern state of Maine have prepared for up to two feet of snow forecast in some areas.

The National Weather Service said on its website that light snow and freezing fog with lows of 30F were recorded in New York in the early hours of Monday morning.

NWS also predicted blizzard conditions would quickly materialise from Maryland up to southeastern New England, making travel extremely treacherous.

According to the Service, snow could fall at a rate of two to three inches per hour at the peak of the storm, with nearly 54 million people in its path.

Local reports have it that early Monday morning, the storm had already begun to hit New York, slashing visibility to the extent that the skyscrapers of Wall Street were barely visible from the adjacent borough of Brooklyn.

Power outages are likely due to heavy snow and strong wind gusts, forecasters said. Just after 01:39 am local time (0639 GMT) on Monday, nearly 80,000 customers were without power in the state of New Jersey, according to tracking website poweroutage.us.

Meanwhile, more than 5,000 flights have been cancelled, data from the tracker FlightAware showed early Monday.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said streets, highways, and bridges would be shut down from 9:00 pm Sunday until noon Monday in New York, which has more than eight million residents.

The ban will not apply to essential workers or New Yorkers needing to travel due to emergencies.

Brandon Smith, 33, who lives in Brooklyn, complained that some workplaces had remained open, even if roads were not.

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US, CANADA ISSUE TRAVEL WARNINGS FOR MEXICO AFTER DRUG KINGPIN DEATH

The United State Department has urged American citizens in parts of Mexico to shelter in place amid violence, road blocks and flight cancellations after Mexican soldiers killed a top cartel boss.

A statement from the department’s Consular Affairs section revealed on social media platform X that roadblocks have impacted airline operations, with some domestic and international flights cancelled in both Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta.

Recall that the Army said in a statement that Nemesio Oseguera, a 59-year-old leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was wounded in a clash with soldiers in the town of Tapalpa and died while being flown to Mexico CityHe had a $15 million US bounty on his head.

Canada said it was monitoring the situation closely and advised Canadians in Mexico to keep a low profile and follow the advice of local authorities.

US carriers United, American, Southwest and Alaska, as well as the Canadian airlines Air Canada and WestJet/Sunwing, announced the cancellation of flights to Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, and Manzanillo.

Some planes had to turn back while already en route to Mexico, several airlines said, including Southwest, which turned back four flights originally bound for Puerto Vallarta.

Southwest said it would send aircraft to Mexico to repatriate its stranded passengers and staff once the situation normalises. 

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INDIAN EMBASSY URGES CITIZENS TO EXIT IRAN

The Embassy of India, Tehran, on Monday advised Indian nationals in Iran to leave the country using all available means of transport, including commercial flights, citing the evolving situation of protests and demonstrations in the country.

As reported by the Economic Times on Monday, the mission urged Indians currently in Iran, including students, pilgrims, businesspersons, and tourists, to depart at the earliest.

The advisory follows earlier guidance issued on January 5 and January 14, reiterating calls for caution.

The embassy said Indian citizens and Persons of Indian Origin should avoid areas witnessing protests or demonstrations and remain in contact with the mission for updates, just as it also advised nationals to closely monitor local media and developments.

Meanwhile, Indians in Iran have been asked to keep their travel and immigration documents, including passports and identification papers, readily available at all times.

The latest advisory comes amid heightened security concerns, prompting India to reiterate its appeal for citizens to prioritise their safety. 

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