Lagos open defecation arrests rise to 275 as state enforces law, promoting public hygiene despite thousands of functional public toilets

The Lagos State Government has arrested at least 275 residents across the state for defecating in public, despite the availability of 8,710 functional public toilets.

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The figures were disclosed by the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, during an interview on Wednesday.

Wahab stated that the arrests occurred between January 1 and Thursday, with about 70 people apprehended on Lagos Island, 62 in Berger, and 43 in Oshodi.

Expressing concern over the behaviour, Wahab stressed that open defecation remains illegal in the state. “It’s against the law. We have over 8,710 public toilets statewide, and they are functional,” he said.

He added that when toilets in eateries and petrol stations are included, Lagos has over 35,000 functional facilities.

Wahab explained that an open defecation task force patrols daily at 3 am, 6 am, and 7 am to enforce the law. “We make arrests and take offenders to court daily, and we will not stop,” he added.

In 2024, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency and its Ogun State counterpart launched a joint media campaign to curb open defecation along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, particularly from OPIC Plaza to Otedola Bridge, aiming to improve public health, hygiene, and the appearance of the highway.

Poor sanitation and open defecation continue to pose serious health risks in Nigeria.

A 2022 report by UNICEF noted that over 100,000 Nigerian children under five die annually from diarrhoea, with around 90 per cent of cases linked to unsafe water and inadequate sanitation.

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The report also highlighted that one in four children under five suffers severe stunting, and one in 10 experiences wasting, largely due to water, sanitation, and hygiene-related diseases.