A Magistrate’s Court sitting at Bolade, Oshodi, on Monday convicted and sentenced 13 persons to three months’ imprisonment each for engaging in open defecation and urination in parts of Agege and Alimosho areas of Lagos State.
The convicts were arrested earlier on Monday during enforcement operations and subsequently arraigned before the court, where they all pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them.
Those convicted are Friday Samuel (49), Sulaimon Olalekan (54), Idris Jimoh (45), Alao Babatunde (54), Chinonso Dominic (21), Akeem Suraju (42), Lawal Idris (29), Oluwatobi Adebayo (30), Ismaila Adeyemi (35), Murtala Jamilu (20), Samson Memudia (54), Jamilu Abdullahi (29) and Ganiyu Akeem (55).
Following their guilty pleas, the magistrate handed down months’ imprisonment to each of the offenders, with no option of a fine, underscoring the state government’s zero-tolerance stance on environmental offences.
Authorities warned residents to desist from indiscriminate defecation and urination in public places, stressing that such acts now attract mandatory custodial sentences under Lagos environmental laws.
Officials said the enforcement drive forms part of broader efforts to promote public health, environmental cleanliness and dignity, particularly in densely populated urban areas where open defecation poses serious health and sanitation risks.
Residents were urged to make use of available sanitary facilities and comply with environmental regulations, as the government has signalled that enforcement will be sustained across the State.