By Desire Emmanuel
Seven young men have been arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, popularly known as KAI, for defecating in open places at the Lagos Island area of the state.
The young men were arrested on Friday morning at Apongbon, Ebute Ero and Inner Marina areas of Lagos Island while they were defecating at various places despite the fact that public toilets are a few metres away.
The names of those arrested were given as Shile Suraj, aged 65 years, arrested at Ebute Ero; Chika Chibuzor, aged 21 years, arrested at Inner Marina; Ganiu Mustafa, aged 35, arrested at Apongbon.
Others are Justice Ugo, aged 52 years, arrested at Apongbon; Ajala Olanrewaju, aged 33 years, arrested at Ebute Ero; Adam Abubakar, aged 23 years, arrested at Inner Marina and Lawal Mohammed, aged 28 years, arrested at Ebute Ero.
They were apprehended by KAI officials following information received by them regarding how people continue to engage in open defecation in many areas of Lagos Island despite availability of public toilets.
The arrested men have been taken to the headquarters of the agency in Oshodi for further investigation and prosecution in line with Lagos State environmental laws.
The agency in a statement on Friday, February 27, said public toilets are available within the Lagos Island axis, including toilets at designated public convenience points and along major routes, particularly around Marina, Broad Street, Apongbon, Idumota and Ebute Ero corridors.
It therefore warned that open defecation will not be acceptable in any part of the state as toilet facilities are available everywhere.
