The Lagos State Government has arrested 46 individuals for open defecation during a coordinated enforcement operation carried out across parts of Lagos Island.
The Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, made this known in a statement issued on Monday in Lagos.
He explained that the arrests were carried out between February 20 and February 22 as part of routine monitoring and enforcement activities targeting environmental sanitation violations.
According to him, the operation covered areas identified as open defecation hotspots, including Ebute Ero, Marina, CMS, Obalende and Adeniji Adele.
Gbadegesin stated that 20 offenders were arrested on February 20, while 15 more were apprehended on February 21. He added that 11 additional suspects were picked up on February 22 during continued surveillance of the affected locations.
“All suspects have been transferred to the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps headquarters in Oshodi for further investigation and prosecution in accordance with the state’s environmental sanitation laws,” he said.
He noted that the enforcement exercise is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to eliminate open defecation, protect public health and improve environmental cleanliness across the state.
Gbadegesin warned that open defecation remains a violation of environmental regulations and poses serious health risks, especially in busy and densely populated commercial areas.
He therefore urged residents and business owners to make use of approved public toilet facilities and avoid actions that could compromise environmental sanitation.
He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustained enforcement, stressing that anyone caught violating sanitation laws would face arrest and prosecution.
Lagos Arrests 46 for Open Defecation in Lagos Island Crackdown
