Lagos State Government has disclosed that 5,715 persons were arrested for highway crossing offences, while 3,886 others were apprehended for acts including street trading, environmental pollution and cart-pushing across the state.

The government also revealed that 102 individuals were arrested for open defecation, while another 931 persons were apprehended for various waste management violations.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this on Sunday during the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing commemorating the seventh year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration in the environment sector.

The briefing was held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, Ikeja.

Wahab reiterated the state government’s commitment to building a cleaner, healthier and flood-resilient Lagos through improved environmental policies, strategic waste management partnerships and climate sustainability initiatives.

According to him, the administration is also focused on transitioning Lagos towards a zero-waste economy through recycling programmes, waste-to-energy projects and improved landfill management systems.

Highlighting achievements recorded by the ministry, the commissioner said the state successfully reintroduced the monthly environmental sanitation exercise aimed at restoring environmental consciousness and improving sanitation practices among residents.

“The exercise recorded massive participation from residents, local governments, private organisations and state officials, demonstrating renewed public commitment to environmental cleanliness,” he said.

Wahab stated that enforcement operations were intensified through various agencies under the ministry, leading to the arrest and prosecution of environmental offenders as well as the removal of illegal traders and squatters from different locations.

He further disclosed that the ministry commissioned the Ikosi Waste-to-Energy Biodigester Plant situated within the Ketu Fruit Market.

According to him, the facility converts organic waste into electricity, cooking gas and agricultural fertiliser.

“The plant processes 0.5 tonnes of organic waste per day and generates 30kWH of electricity daily for lighting and cold storage, delivering an estimated annual emission savings of 9,000tCO2e,” Wahab explained.

Speaking on waste management operations, the commissioner said the government had improved landfill efficiency and reduced waste truck turnaround time across disposal facilities.

He added that the operating licences of five underperforming Private Sector Participation operators were withdrawn following an assessment exercise.

Wahab also disclosed that the state strengthened healthcare waste management by deploying 35 new PSP operators to health facilities across Lagos’ three senatorial districts.

According to him, about 3,920 health facilities have been registered statewide, with between 80,000kg and 105,000kg of medical waste treated every month.

The commissioner noted that the state sustained its ban on Styrofoam and single-use plastics, adding that 137,530.94 kilograms of PET plastics had been removed from the environment over the past year.

He added that Lagos continued to record improvements in climate governance, air quality management and environmental sustainability, maintaining its position as Nigeria’s leading state in climate governance for the second consecutive year.

“The ministry continued its tradition of tree planting, recording 16,966 planted trees across the five divisions of the state, while new recreational parks were created and existing ones renovated,” he stated.

Wahab further explained that flood control and drainage infrastructure remained key priorities of the administration, with extensive dredging, drainage clearing and channel construction projects executed across the state.

“The ministry maintained and cleaned 18 primary channels covering 76 kilometres and secondary channels spanning 178 kilometres, while also removing illegal structures obstructing drainage alignments,” he said.

He added that operatives of the Emergency Flood Abatement Gang responded to flood-prone areas and black spots covering approximately 210 kilometres across Lagos to reduce flooding and improve stormwater management.

On water supply, the commissioner revealed that the government recently commissioned the rehabilitated Akilo Mini Waterworks with a production capacity of one million gallons per day.

He also stated that work was progressing steadily on the Adiyan Phase II Water Treatment Plant project and the expansion of potable water infrastructure across the state.

Katsina State Police Command says it will arraign a neighbour to the family of an eight-year-old boy and five others arrested over the kidnapping of the child in Katsina metropolis.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Aliyu, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, noting that the suspects were arrested by the newly established Violent Crime Response Unit of the command.

He said the victim was abducted on May 13, 2026, while returning from an Islamic school, after which the suspects later contacted the family and demanded N50 million ransom.

According to him, following negotiations, the family paid N17 million before the victim was released.

Aliyu said operatives of the unit launched an investigation after the incident and, acting on credible intelligence, tracked and arrested six members of the syndicate on May 23, 2026.

He identified the suspects as Nura Aliyu (39), the alleged mastermind and neighbour to the victim’s family, Abubakar Aminu (37), Ibrahim Muhammad (51), Iliyasu Sani (51), Abubakar Muhammad (27), and Abdullahi Isma’il (30).

He added that the suspects confessed to the crime and mentioned another accomplice currently at large, while exhibits were recovered from them.

Recovered items include a Peugeot 307 vehicle, a Boxer motorcycle, and N7.5 million believed to be part of the ransom money.

The police spokesperson said the suspects would be charged to court upon completion of investigations, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect.

The Commissioner of Police in the state commended the operatives for the swift operation and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes in the state.

A young man identified as Ismail AbdulKarim, who had just completed his final examination at the Community Health Department of the Kogi State College of Health Sciences and Technology, Idah, was crushed to death by a vehicle around the Felele area of Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.

An eyewitness explained that the incident occurred opposite Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, on Friday afternoon when AbdulKarim allegedly attempted to avoid some wheelbarrow pushers along the road.

The eyewitness said AbdulKarim unfortunately fell under an oncoming trailer moving at high speed, resulting in a head injury that led to his death.

The deceased was said to be on his way to visit relatives at the other end of the city shortly after arriving in Lokoja from Idah, where he had just completed his final examinations.

A colleague, who mourned the deceased, said: “After writing your final exams and heading to see your people, your life was cut short.”

The National Association of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS) described the death of Ismail AbdulKarim as heartbreaking and painful to the student community of the Kogi State College of Health Sciences and Technology, Idah.

Hassan Mustapha, NAKOSS President of the Kogi State College of Health Sciences and Technology, Idah chapter, said the deceased was a dedicated, humble, and promising young man.

The Kogi Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lawal Fagge, confirmed the incident, saying the accident occurred around 5:28 p.m. on Friday opposite Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, involving a truck with registration number KMC 23 YQ.

The victim, Fagge explained, sustained multiple injuries, including severe head trauma. He added that the corpse had been deposited at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, for autopsy.