A former Chairman of the Ikorodu branch of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Bayo Akinlade, has criticised the Lagos State government over the three-month jail sentence imposed by the state’s Environmental Court sitting in Oshodi on 13 persons convicted for urinating in public.
The Magistrate Court sitting in Bolade, Oshodi, had convicted 13 persons arrested early on Monday, for engaging in open defecation and urination at Agege and Alimosho Areas.
Each of the 13 persons pleaded guilty when they were arraigned and were subsequently sentenced to 3 months imprisonment each.
The convicts were Friday Samuel (49), Sulaimon Olalekan (54), Idris Jimoh (45), Alao Babatunde (54), Chinonso Dominic (21), Akeem Suraju (42), Lawal Idris (29), and Oluwatobi Adebayo (30).
Others include Ismaila Adeyemi (35), Murtala Jamilu (20), Samson Memudia (54), Jamilu Abdullahi (29), and Ganiyu Akeem (55).
Akinlade, who also founded Duty Solicitors Network (DSN), said the court’s sentence was excessive.
He said, “Do we really believe three months in an already overcrowded prison is the solution? With all the government spending on non-custodial sentencing measures, one would think it’s not all talk.
“Why can’t Lagos State Government build enough public toilets and require eateries, filling stations, and all government offices to allow people to use their toilet facilities to deter such behaviour.
“Then you can prosecute people when they violate the law because they won’t have an excuse to relieve themselves wherever they can.
“Even in most of our courts, toilet facilities for staff, litigants, and lawyers are grossly inadequate and poorly managed.
“This move by the Lagos State Government to enforce a law to punish citizens when no adequate provision is made for citizens not to violate such law is totally irresponsible and unacceptable,” he said.
Akinlade added that Lagos is better than this, saying “Politicians can do better! We voted for this government because we had some confidence that they mean well, but it appears that citizens are being used like paper in ballot boxes, thrown away after the election.
“A government that cannot even provide enough toilets within its own environment is prosecuting and sending people to prison for carrying out a necessary body function is the lowest low and simply Bad and Irresponsible Governance”.
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