Lagos court convicts 17 residents for open defecation, imposes ₦40,000 fine each

By Khubayb Adefaka

LAGOS – A Magistrate Court sitting in Bolade, Oshodi, has convicted 17 individuals for engaging in open defecation and urination in parts of the state, sentencing each offender to pay a fine of ₦40,000 or face one month imprisonment.

The development was announced on Saturday by the Lagos State Government via its verified X (formerly Twitter) handle.

According to the statement, the offenders were apprehended during routine enforcement operations by the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA). They were subsequently arraigned before the Magistrate Court in Bolade, Oshodi, where they were convicted.

“Seventeen environmental offenders apprehended by LAWMA were arraigned before the Magistrate Court sitting at Bolade, Oshodi, for urinating and defecating in open spaces. The defendants were convicted and sentenced to a fine of ₦40,000 each or one month imprisonment,” the statement read.

The state government condemned the acts, describing them as unacceptable behaviour that degrades public spaces and damages the image of Lagos as a megacity.

It reiterated its commitment to the strict enforcement of environmental sanitation laws, stressing that defaulters would continue to face prosecution as part of efforts to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment.

Authorities also urged residents to take responsibility for their surroundings, emphasising that maintaining cleanliness across the state is a shared civic obligation.