Metro
“Access PAD Me A Girl Initiative” Puts Smiles on Ortese IDPs with Free Sanitary Pads
For many Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) women and girls, managing menstrual circle is a huge daily struggle. The lack of access to sanitary pads and hygiene facilities force them to use unhygienic materials, which compromised their health and dignity.
However, the “Access Pad Me A Girl Initiative” has crafted innovative measures aimed at addressing this critical challenge.
As a result, “Access Pad Me A Girl Initiative,” a flagship project of GATMASH Media, in collaboration with Access Bank, had an extended outreach at the Ortese Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State where they distributed free sanitary pads, exercise books and pens to women and children.
The event which took place on Saturday, 5th April, 2025, was aimed at promoting menstrual hygiene and dignity of displaced girls and women.
According to the Convener of the initiative, Theresa Moses, the visit was part of a larger campaign to address the critical gap in healthcare and hygiene education in IDP camps.
Moses emphasized the importance of addressing menstrual hygiene challenges among IDP women and girls.
“We came all the way from Lagos to Benue not just to donate, but to educate. These reusable sanitary pads can last up to a year, helping the girls maintain hygiene and save money,” she explained.
Highlighting the disparity in awareness efforts, she observed that while condoms are widely promoted for men, little attention is given to menstrual hygiene for women.
“We believe that every girl deserves to manage her menstruation with dignity and confidence. That’s why we’re here today to provide these reusable sanitary pads and educate them on their use,” she added.
According to Moses, the initiative is being sponsored by Access Bank, Checkers Custard, Vita Baites Foods, GATMASH NEWS, Jeffrey Kuraun Foundation, Pro Star, and and other sponsors highlights the power of collaboration in addressing critical issues affecting vulnerable communities.
She assured that the initiative would continue for as long as IDPs remain in the camps and plans to expand to other IDP camps across the region.
The team distributed reusable sanitary pads that can last up to a year, helping girls maintain hygiene and save money. Moses emphasized that these pads are not only cost-effective but also environmentally friendly.
A Pad Bank was launched at Ortese Camp to ensure sustainability and provide ongoing support to IDPs. The initiative plans to continue support for as long as IDPs remain in the camps and expand to other IDP camps across the region.
Exercise books and pens were also distributed to school-aged children, contributing to their educational development. This support aims to promote education and empowerment among IDP children.
In addition, food items were also distributed to support the well-being of IDP residents. This gesture demonstrates the initiative’s commitment to addressing the holistic needs of IDPs.
Accompanying her on the mission were dedicated members of her team including Mrs. Salome Alomah, Mr. Iliya J. Galadima, Engr. Michael Hosea, Dr. Michael Morah, Angela, and Terfa Tsetim.
The team was warmly received with heartwarming reception and compassion by the camp residents, who welcomed them with songs and open hearts. The Ortese Camp Manager, Elizabeth Asan, expressed deep appreciation for the initiative, stating that it would go a long way in addressing the needs of women and children in the camp.
This intervention builds on the momentum of the team’s earlier engagements at the Area 1, IDP Camp, Durumi, Abuja, and stands as a testament to the impact of targeted support for vulnerable communities.
Metro
HURIWA Demands Probe As Nine Soldiers Accused of Links to Boko Haram Allegedly Escape from Custody
A major security breach has hit the Nigerian military after nine soldiers reportedly escaped from a guardroom at Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri — headquarters of the Army’s 7 Division.
Military sources said the incident occurred around 2:15am on Monday.
Most of the escapees were said to have been detained for alleged links with Boko Haram and involvement in arms trafficking in the North-East.
“There was a jailbreak on Monday around 0215 hours at Maimalari Cantonment. Nine personnel detained mostly for dealing in arms running with terrorists escaped,” a source, according to some media reports, confirmed.
One of the fugitives has since been recaptured, while a manhunt is underway for the remaining eight.
The military has reportedly launched an internal probe to uncover how the soldiers succeeded in breaking free from the high-security facility.
Meanwhile, a pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group – Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) of Nigeria has condemned the criminal activity of letting out such high value suspects at a time that the nation is gripped by the threats of the United States of America government’s threats to unleash military airstrikes targeting Islamic Terrorists like Boko Haram terrorists and ISWAP.
HURIWA believes that if the report is factually accurate, then there is more to it than meets the eyes. It means that there is a high network of conspiratorial plots from the topmost echelons of the command structures and these collaborators and saboteurs of the war on terror must be identified, arrested, prosecuted for treason and jailed for life.
HURIWA tasked the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede and the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu to take the matter as a high priority case and to go after the escapees just as the commander charged with securing their detention should be immediately suspended and all those who participated in aiding and abetting their disappearances must be arrested and prosecuted for sabotaging the counter terrorism war in Nigeria.
“If this is true, it means that the claims made by the Borno state governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, of the existence of saboteurs of the war on terror within the Nigeria Army is much deeper than we are all contemplating.”
The Rights group stated that although the Nigerian Army is yet to react to the development at the time the media filed this report, the escapees were alleged to be involved in arms trafficking to terrorist groups operating in Nigeria’s North-East just as it was gathered that reports of the jailbreak have led to serious concerns within Nigeria’s security sector.
HURIWA expressed disappointment that saboteurs embedded within the nation’s military circles orchestrated the ugly development just few days after President Bola Tinubu appointed new service chiefs as a way to pass a message that they are invincible but the civil rights advocacy group stated that allowing these important and strategic suspects who sabotaged the war on terror to escape without being caught on time, it therefore means that there is the urgency of the moment to review the entire spectrum of military operations against Boko Haram terrorists given that their informants and suppliers of weapons have successfully penetrated the military institution, which is a very big shame.
“When we call for heads to roll, we truly mean that many bad eggs must be immediately weeded out of the Army given that they are actually undermining the National security of the corporate entity of Nigeria. It is time for a transparent overhauling of the security operations against terrorists in the country.”
A gas-laden tanker overturned on a Lagos road on Monday after the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle.
The General Manager (GM), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, who made this known in a statement on Monday in Lagos, said that timely response of traffic officials, however, averted an explosion at the scene.
He said the incident occurred along the main carriageway at Chisco, before the traffic light inward Victoria Island area.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident occurred when the driver of the truck, fully loaded with Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) cylinders, lost control of the vehicle, causing it to overturn on the busy expressway.
“Given the highly volatile nature of the product, the situation posed an immediate and severe threat to human life and property, necessitating urgent technical intervention,” he said.
The GM said that LASTMA personnel swiftly cordoned off the affected area upon arriving at the scene, securing both the overturned vehicle and the CNG tanks.
According to him, this was done to prevent any leakage or ignition that could have triggered an explosive conflagration.
Bakare-Oki said that the LASTMA Rescue and Emergency Unit immediately activated a multi-agency emergency protocol, summoning key responders.
“The responders are the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lekki Concession Company (LCC), the Nigeria Police Force, and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
“Through this rapid inter-agency collaboration, the imminent threat was expertly contained, and normalcy was swiftly restored,” he said.
Bakare-Oki, who was physically present at the scene, lauded the prompt and disciplined conduct of his officers and partner agencies.
He disclosed that the upturned gas tanker was professionally recovered, using state-of-the-art heavy-duty cranes and recovery equipment mobilised to the site.
“Their immediate action in securing the environment prevented what could have been an unspeakable tragedy.
“We ensured that the recovery process was conducted under the highest safety protocols to eliminate any residual risk,” he said.
He further revealed that additional LASTMA personnel were deployed to the area to manage the resultant traffic congestion.
He added that the team guaranteed the safety of commuters navigating through the Victoria Island corridor.
“While the main carriageway was closed temporarily from Chisco inward Victoria Island, motorists were immediately diverted through the new coastal road and reconnected via Bar Beach.
“This ensured the continuity of vehicular movement till the recovery operation was safely concluded and the road reopened to normal traffic,” he said.
The GM emphasised that the incident underscored the critical importance of adherence to road safety regulations, especially among truck drivers and operators of articulated vehicles transporting flammable and hazardous materials.
He admonished such operators to strictly observe prescribed speed limits, maintain their vehicles in sound mechanical condition, and exercise heightened vigilance, particularly under wet weather conditions.
Leading communications network, Globacom, has registered another milestone with its ongoing investment in its people as the SheGlows Summit 2025 convened women from every division at the Alliance Française, Mike Adenuga Centre, Lagos.
This year’s theme, “Wellness for Growth,” underscored a simple truth: wellbeing is not separate from performance-it powers it.
From Mrs Olubunmi Aboderin Talabi’s reflections on rest, to Bunmi George’s insights on consistency, and Ifeoma Williams’s masterclass on confidence, every session linked personal wellness to leadership readiness.
The summit’s success mirrored Globacom’s broader commitment to a management culture that continually fosters spaces where women can learn, lead, and lift others.
While the spotlight shone on the female workforce, the quiet endorsement from senior leadership made clear that this vision starts at the top and ripples throughout the organisation.
Participants left with renewed clarity and community spirit, a testament that when companies nurture wellness, they unlock growth that lasts.
They lauded the experience as inspiring and transformative. Ifeyinwa Okoli, Team Lead, Customer Care, said, “The event was beyond my expectations; each speaker delivered her message beautifully, and I’ve taken so much home.”
Esther Ohiomoba from Enterprise Business added, “It touched my core. My biggest takeaway is to let my brilliance serve, not intimidate. I’d love to do this again and again.”
