275 INDIVIDUALS APPREHENDED IN LAGOS FOR OPEN DEFECATION DESPITE 8,710 TOILETS
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By: Fasasi Hammad
The Lagos State Government has apprehended at least 275 residents across the state for defecating in public areas, despite having 8,710 fully functional public toilets.
The media learned this from the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, during an interview at his office on Wednesday.
Wahab said the arrests were made between January 1 and the time of reporting on Thursday. He revealed that around 70 people were arrested on Lagos Island, 62 in the Berger area, and 43 in Oshodi for openly defecating.
Expressing concern over the practice, Wahab emphasized that open defecation remains illegal in Lagos State.
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“It’s against the law. We have over 8,710 public toilets across the state, and they are operational,” he stated. “When you include facilities in eateries—which the law requires every eatery to provide—as well as those at petrol and gas stations, the total exceeds 35,000 toilets. But when people continue to disregard the law, enforcement becomes necessary to demonstrate consequences. There is no excuse for this behaviour.”
He explained that the government has established an open defecation task force that patrols daily to curb the practice.
“That is why we have the task force patrolling at 3 am, 6 am, and 7 am every day. Offenders are arrested, taken to court, and we will continue this without pause,” Wahab added.
In 2024, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency and its Ogun State counterpart launched a joint media campaign to end open defecation along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, particularly from OPIC Plaza to Otedola Bridge. The initiative aimed to improve public health, prevent disease spread, and enhance the appearance of this key gateway into Lagos.
A 2022 UNICEF report highlighted that poor sanitation and open defecation contaminate water bodies, soil, and underground water, creating significant health and environmental risks, especially for children. The report noted that over 100,000 Nigerian children under five die annually from diarrhoea, with roughly 90% of cases linked to unsafe water and poor sanitation. It also revealed that one in four children under five suffers from severe stunting, while one in 10 experiences wasting, largely due to diarrhoea and other water, sanitation, and hygiene-related diseases.
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