Bandits have reportedly abducted Auwal Mas’ud Shitu, a 300-level Pure and Industrial Chemistry student at Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina State.

The incident was disclosed on Monday in a post on X by Bakatsine, a journalist who reports on conflict and insecurity in Nigeria’s northwest.

Bakatsine wrote that Shitu was kidnapped on Sunday, May 17, 2026, while travelling from Charanchi to Dutsin-Ma. 

According to the report, the abductors are now demanding N20 million ransom, an amount the family reportedly cannot afford.

He wrote: “Bandits have abducted Auwal Mas’ud Shitu, a 300-level Pure & Industrial Chemistry student at Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina State.

“He was reportedly kidnapped on Sunday, May 17, 2026, while travelling from Charanchi to Dutsin-Ma. The abductors are demanding ₦20 million ransom, an amount the family reportedly cannot afford.

“Friends and relatives are appealing for prayers as insecurity continues to tighten its grip on communities across northern Nigeria.

“How many more students must be taken before authorities confront the worsening kidnapping crisis?”

The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed an attack by suspected bandits on the Yashikira Police Divisional Headquarters and the palace of the Emir of Yashikira in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The development was disclosed in a statement signed by the Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, on May 25, 2026.

According to the statement, the attackers launched the coordinated assault at about 2:00 am, setting part of the Emir’s palace ablaze and abducting 10 persons during the operation.

The police, however, stated that operatives on duty successfully repelled the attack on the divisional headquarters.

The statement further noted that the Commissioner of Police, CP Ojo Adekimi, ordered a full-scale security operation involving security agencies, forest guards and vigilantes to rescue the victims and track down the perpetrators.

“These criminals have declared war against peace-loving citizens, and we are fully prepared to hunt them down relentlessly,” the CP stated. 

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.