Police operatives in Ondo State have rescued two suspects from a mob attack after he was accused of murdering a farmer in Ala community, Akure North Local Government Area. They also arrested 14 persons over the incident.

Spokesperson for the police command, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, confirmed this in a statement in Akure on Wednesday.

He said the death of a farmer, Rasheed Hassan, was reported on October 24 to the police from General Camp in the Government Reserve Area.

According to him, police operatives who visited the scene evacuated the farmer’s body, which had deep cuts on the head and other parts, while his belongings were missing.

Jimoh said the Ala Youth President arrested two suspects on October 26 and was taking them to the police station when an irate mob intercepted them and attempted to lynch them.

“At about 01:45 hours on October 27, upon receipt of a distress call, our operatives swiftly moved to the scene and successfully rescued the two suspects from the mob. However, the patrol team conveying the suspects back to Akure came under attack,” he said.

He added that two police officers sustained gunshot injuries from pellets allegedly fired from a youth’s pump-action firearm. The officers were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The police spokesperson said 14 people suspected of participating in the mob action have been arrested, while investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend those responsible for the farmer’s death.

He added that tactical and rescue teams have been deployed to restore order and protect lives in the community.

Jimoh said normalcy has returned to the area, urging residents to hand over suspects to the police for proper investigation and prosecution.

He assured the public that discreet investigations are ongoing, adding that justice would be served.

The Pad Me A Girl Empowerment Foundation has taken its menstrual health campaign to Igbesa High School (Junior), in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, providing free sanitary pads, menstrual hygiene pamphlets, exercise books and pens to over 100 schoolgirls to promote menstrual health, dignity and education.

The outreach, held on Wednesday, October 21, commemorated the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child, whose global theme is “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights!”

The programme brought together girls from Junior Secondary School (JSS) 1 to 3 who participate in the school’s reading clubs for mentorship, reading activities and menstrual health education.

It was convened by Oyelami Yetunde Anuoluwapo and Blessing Kappo, teachers and Teach For Nigeria Fellows at the school, following an appeal for sanitary products, learning materials and health education support. The Foundation’s founder, Theresa Moses, responded by providing the requested items and facilitating an interactive session on menstrual hygiene management.

Speaking at the event, Moses said she was inspired by the girls’ determination and aspirations, stressing the need for sustained investment in their health, education and future.

“Invest in girls and Nigeria will rise. Every girl deserves dignity, education and the right to dream beyond child marriage. That is why we are here; to ensure no girl misses school because of her period,” she said.

She emphasised that access to menstrual hygiene products and accurate information helps girls manage their periods confidently and participate fully in school activities.

In a letter of appreciation, Oyelami and Kappo described the outreach as impactful and inspiring, noting that it enhanced the girls’ understanding of menstrual health, hygiene and self-confidence. They also said the support would help promote the students’ hygiene, school attendance and dignity.

“You did not just give pads; you gave our girls confidence and hope,” the teachers wrote on behalf of the school community, expressing gratitude to the Foundation and hope for future collaboration.

Mrs Amarachi Eze, Assistant Divisional Commissioner of the Nigerian Girl Guides Association, Ado-Odo/Ota, Ogun State Branch, also commended the Foundation for supporting the girls’ hygiene needs and development.

“We sincerely appreciate the Management of Pad Me A Girl Foundation for joining hands with the Association in supporting our girls on hygiene management. May God Almighty continue to uplift your foundation. Thanks for joining hands in the development of girls in our schools. Bravo,” she said.

The Foundation’s Media Coordinator, Mr Oluwatosin Simon Faleye, called on corporate organisations, non-governmental organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to support initiatives that address period poverty and help girls remain in school.

“For over a year, we have been committed to ending period poverty and keeping girls in school. We call on corporate organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to support this cause for the betterment of Nigeria,” Faleye said.

The celebration also featured a student drama presentation highlighting the effects of child marriage, alongside reading and mentorship activities designed to encourage the girls to understand their rights, value their education and pursue their aspirations.

The Foundation also acknowledged the continued support of its sponsors and partners, including Access Bank, Pro Star Sports International, BL Consulting, Vita Baites Foods, Checkers, Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the 10th Nigerian National Assembly, the Senate Committee on Women Affairs (SCOWAS), as well as individuals and media organisations whose contributions have supported its broader mission of ending period poverty, promoting menstrual health education and empowering girls and women.

Abia State governor, Alex Otti, is set to flag off the reconstruction of Uratta Road and Old Express Road in Aba, two major routes which poor condition has disrupted transportation, commercial activities and access to residential communities for years.

The governor’s media aide, Ferdinand Ekeoma, in a statement on Wednesday, said that work on the roads has begun ahead of the scheduled official flag-off.

The two roads are considered important to Aba’s commercial and industrial activities, with Uratta Road connecting several adjoining streets to Port Harcourt Road and Old Express Road. At the same time, Old Express Road serves as a key route within the city’s industrial layout.

Ekeoma said the roads had suffered neglect for more than 24 years, leaving some sections impassable and forcing residents and businesses to contend with difficult transportation conditions.

According to the statement, Uratta Road provides access to more than 100 adjoining streets. Its poor condition has affected residents, traders and small-scale manufacturers who depend on the road to transport goods and access their businesses.

The statement said the road had become waterlogged and overgrown with weeds, discouraging commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators from using it.

Similarly, the deterioration of Old Express Road forced heavy-duty truck operators, fabric merchants, spare-parts dealers and small businesses to use longer routes, increasing transportation costs and affecting productivity.

The government said the road reconstruction is part of its broader effort to restore Aba’s infrastructure and strengthen the city’s commercial base.

Aba, one of southeastern Nigeria’s major commercial centres, hosts manufacturing clusters, markets, and small and medium-sized enterprises that depend heavily on functional roads to move raw materials and finished products.

The government said the reconstruction would improve market access, reduce transportation costs, facilitate the movement of goods, and support businesses operating along the affected corridors.

Ekeoma cited the reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road as an example of the administration’s infrastructure programme, noting that improved road access encouraged shops to reopen, attracted manufacturing activities and increased property rents along the corridor.

The government also said the new projects would complement other road interventions in Aba, including works on Ohanku and Obohia roads, as part of efforts to improve connectivity within the commercial city.

Beyond road construction, the administration said its projects include drainage systems, solar-powered streetlights, and pedestrian walkways, which it described as necessary to improve safety, accessibility, and flood resilience.

Ekeoma said Governor Otti views infrastructure development as an economic strategy rather than merely a construction programme, arguing that better roads would help businesses operate more efficiently and create employment opportunities.

He also quoted the governor as saying at an earlier church event that his administration is shifting attention from basic infrastructure improvements to healthcare, education, technology and industrialisation.

The governor, a former bank chief executive, was elected in 2023 on the Labour Party platform, defeating candidates from the major established parties in a state historically dominated by the Peoples’ Democratic Party.

Otti has remained in the Labour Party despite the defection of its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

His administration has made rehabilitating Aba roads and public infrastructure central to its governance agenda, presenting the city’s recovery as essential to reviving economic activity across Abia State.