A court in Lagos has sentenced a Nigerian man to 18 months in prison for storing human waste outside his residential property, prompting sharp criticism from the British government over public health risks. The case, which emerged Monday, has drawn attention to urban sanitation challenges in Africa’s most populous nation.
The defendant, identified as Chidi Okonkwo, 42, was convicted under Nigeria’s Environmental Sanitation Act after neighbours complained of foul odours and vermin infestations from his home in the Surulere district. According to court documents, Okonkwo had collected faecal matter in plastic containers over several months, allegedly for use as fertiliser. The waste was stored on a shared balcony, exposed to heat and rain.
Justice Adebayo Ogunlesi described the actions as “a deliberate and reckless menace to public health,” noting that Okonkwo’s property had become a breeding ground for disease-carrying insects. The case was reported to authorities by the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, which received multiple complaints from residents. “The defendant’s conduct posed a grave risk to his neighbours and the wider community,” the judge said.
The UK Foreign Office issued a statement Tuesday expressing “deep concern” over the incident. “The storing of untreated human waste in residential areas is an unacceptable public health hazard,” a spokesperson said. “We call on Nigerian authorities to enforce robust sanitation standards and protect the well-being of communities.” The statement also highlighted the need for improved waste management infrastructure in rapidly urbanising cities like Lagos.
The case has reignited debates about Nigeria’s capacity to regulate environmental health. Despite a 2017 law criminalising the improper disposal of waste, enforcement remains sporadic. Lagos State, home to over 20 million people, generates an estimated 13,000 tonnes of waste daily, much of which is mismanaged. Okonkwo’s lawyer argued that his client was using the waste for subsistence farming due to the high cost of commercial fertilisers. “This is a poverty-related offence,” she said. “The state should focus on providing affordable alternatives.”
International health experts have warned that open storage of human waste can spread cholera, typhoid, and other diseases. In urban slums across sub-Saharan Africa, inadequate sanitation leads to an estimated 115 deaths per hour from diarrhoeal illnesses. The British High Commission in Abuja said it would offer technical support to improve sanitation efforts in Lagos.
Okonkwo’s sentence is seen as a test of Nigeria’s resolve to tackle sanitary crises. Commentators have noted that the UK’s condemnation reflects a broader geopolitical concern: the spread of disease in unregulated environments could have transnational implications. “Public health hazards are not confined to borders,” said Dr. Adebayo Olufemi, a Lagos University expert. “The international community has a stake in ensuring basic hygiene standards.”
