A 53-year-old woman, Nelly Monday, has been sentenced to one month in prison after dumping refuse into a drainage channel in Lagos State.
Authorities arrested Monday in the Meiran area on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, as she disposed of refuse during rainfall. She was then transferred to the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) headquarters for investigation.
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The Statement by LAWMA
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) confirmed the incident in a statement released the following day. Arraigned before the Magistrate Court sitting at Bolade, Oshodi, she pleaded guilty to the offence, and the court sentenced her to one month in prison.
In the statement, LAWMA described dumping of refuse in unauthorised places, especially drainages,as an environmental offence. It is punishable by law. The management authority used Monday’s case to restate its warning against illegal waste disposal in drains and other unauthorised places.
LAWMA further says, “The Authority will continue to work with relevant enforcement agencies to identify and sanction environmental offenders across Lagos.”
“Residents are urged to dispose of their waste responsibly and through approved channels,” the statement emphasised.
This forms part of the many efforts by the Lagos State Government and other environmental agencies to push against practices that block drainage systems and worsen flooding during the rainy season in the state.
Over the years, floods have turned ordinary rainfall into disruptive and sometimes dangerous conditions for residents and businesses. According to various reports, in Lagos, blocked drains remain a major contributor to flooding in many parts of the city.
Cases like Monday’s serve as a deterrent to the public that environmental laws are being enforced. It emphasises that defaulters will be held accountable.
Residents of Lagos are hereby encouraged to use approved waste collection services and disposal points rather than treating open drains as convenient dumping spots.
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