By John Umeh
In a bid to enforce environmental sanitation laws and promote public hygiene, a Magistrate Court sitting in Lagos has sentenced thirteen individuals to three months imprisonment for engaging in open defecation and urination in public spaces. The convicted persons were apprehended at various locations across the state during a coordinated crackdown by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI.
The culprits were charged with contravening the provisions of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Law, which prohibits indiscriminate disposal of human waste in unauthorized places. According to court proceedings, the offenders were caught in the act at different public areas, including markets, roadsides, and bus stops, thereby constituting a nuisance and posing a threat to public health.
The presiding Magistrate noted that despite repeated public warnings, jingles, and awareness campaigns about the dangers of open defecation, many residents have continued to flout sanitation laws. The court maintained that such behavior not only tarnishes the image of the city but also contributes to the spread of communicable diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid.
While delivering the judgment, the court emphasized the need to make an example of the offenders to deter others from committing similar infractions. In addition to the jail term, the convicts were given an option of paying fines, though failure to do so would result in the full execution of the custodial sentence.
The Lagos State Government has since reiterated its commitment to achieving a cleaner and healthier environment. In a statement released by the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, the government warned that it would no longer tolerate acts that undermine
