Lagos government under fire as ex-NBA chair slams 3-month jail term for public urination

A former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikorodu branch, Bayo Akinlade, has condemned the Lagos State Government over the sentencing of 13 residents to three months in prison for public urination and defecation.

The Environmental Court sitting in Bolade, Oshodi, had convicted the 13 individuals arrested earlier on Monday in Agege and Alimosho areas after they all pleaded guilty to violating environmental laws. Each was handed a 3-month custodial sentence.

The convicted residents include: 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).

Akinlade, who also founded the Duty Solicitors Network (DSN), described the punishment as excessive and questioned the government's commitment to implementing non-custodial alternatives.

“Do we really believe three months in an already overcrowded prison is the solution?” Akinlade asked. “With all the government spending on non-custodial sentencing measures, one would think it’s not all talk.”

He criticised the lack of basic sanitation infrastructure across the state, calling for the Lagos government to construct public toilets and mandate eateries, petrol stations, and government buildings to provide toilet access.

“Even most of our courts lack adequate and well-managed toilet facilities for staff, litigants, and lawyers,” he noted. “A government that cannot provide enough toilets but is quick to jail people for public urination is guilty of bad and irresponsible governance.”

Akinlade called on elected officials to act with compassion and responsibility, saying the current enforcement without adequate public infrastructure is unjustifiable and punitive