A Nigerian man has been sentenced to six months in prison for storing human faeces in containers outside his home in Lagos, in a case that raises uncomfortable questions about the enforcement of public health laws. The conviction followed a complaint from the British High Commission, which alerted local authorities after reports of the foul-smelling waste in a residential area used by foreign diplomats.
The man, identified as Chidi Okonkwo, 52, a former sanitation worker, was arrested in March after environmental health officers found dozens of plastic buckets filled with excrement in the yard of his bungalow in the upscale Ikoyi district. Neighbours had complained for months about the stench and the risk of disease. The British mission, whose staff live in nearby properties, escalated the issue to the Lagos State government, prompting a raid.
In court, Okonkwo claimed he was collecting the waste to use as organic fertiliser for a small vegetable plot. But prosecutors argued that the storage method was illegal under Nigeria's Environmental Health Act, which prohibits the accumulation of waste in a way that endangers public health. The magistrate described the situation as “a menace to the community”, noting that the waste had attracted flies and rodents.
This case exposes a stark divide in how public health regulations are applied. In poorer neighbourhoods across Lagos, open defecation and informal waste disposal remain common due to a lack of sewage infrastructure. Yet, when the issue affects a wealthy enclave with foreign ties, the full force of the law is deployed swiftly.
“The law is the law, but what about the millions of Nigerians who have no toilet?” asked Adebayo Ogunleye, a public health researcher at the University of Lagos. “The man is not a hero, but he is a scapegoat for a failing system. The government should focus on building proper sanitation facilities, not just punishing individuals.”
Okonkwo’s lawyer argued that his client had no prior convictions and was trying to make ends meet after losing his job. “He wasn't dumping waste on the streets. He was trying to recycle it. The punishment is disproportionate,” said Barrister Funmilayo Adebayo.
For British diplomats in Lagos, the conviction is a victory for hygiene standards. A spokesperson for the British High Commission said: “We support the rule of law and the protection of public health. Our embassy staff have the right to a safe living environment.”
But for many Nigerians, the case highlights the hypocrisy of colonial-era laws enforced for the benefit of foreigners while locals in underserved areas suffer from cholera outbreaks and poor sanitation. The World Bank estimates that poor sanitation costs Nigeria over $3 billion annually in health and economic losses.
Okonkwo will serve his sentence at Kirikiri Prison. Meanwhile, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency has pledged to crack down on similar incidents. But until basic sanitation is available to all, storing faeces may remain a desperate act of survival for some.
The question remains: will this be a turning point for public health enforcement in Nigeria, or just another case of selective justice?
