A young Nigerian man has reportedly been remanded in Kirikiri prison after being found guilty of illegally dumping refuse on the roadside in Ketu-Alapere, Lagos—a development that has sparked widespread public outrage across social media platforms.
The incident unfolded when the man was captured on video by a volunteer officer from the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), seen transporting and unloading garbage from his vehicle directly onto a public road. The footage, which rapidly gained attention online, was later shared by Jubril Gawat, Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Gawat’s post, which included a strong caption condemning the act and hashtags such as #KeepLagosClean and #ZeroToleranceLagos, positioned the incident as part of a broader campaign for environmental discipline.
Following the recording, the individual was traced to his residence and arrested. His subsequent arraignment and sentencing to Kirikiri prison—a facility known for housing serious offenders—has drawn sharp criticism from the public.
Although the Lagos State Government praised the move as a demonstration of its commitment to a cleaner city, many Nigerians have labeled the punishment as excessive. Critics argue that while improper waste disposal is a punishable offense, the decision to imprison a civilian in such a notorious correctional facility is disproportionate. The incident has reignited broader concerns about Lagos’ ongoing sanitation issues, including growing complaints about pervasive foul smells and poor waste management across the state.
The case has raised urgent questions about fairness, proportionality in law enforcement, and the need for more humane yet effective strategies in addressing environmental violations.
Watch the video below;
Yesterday, 20th May 2025, one of @Lawma_gov’s volunteer officers captured this video of an unknown offender in the act of dumping refuse illegally at the location.
Just Look at a normal human being carrying waste in his car to dump on the road.
This happened at Ketu Alapere.… pic.twitter.com/LhVYNXySze— Jubril A. Gawat (@Mr_JAGs) May 21, 2025
See some reactions below;
@grandstyl2.4.7 wrote: “Imagine being in Kirikiri with hardened criminals simply because you dumped refuse wrongly.”
omaalicha___ commented: “To put average citizens in jail no Dey hard una, why can’t you just fine him?”
lyrics_dmw noted: “Nigeria government will find every little opportunity to sha send you go jail, and people wey worth the jail are moving freely with escort… rubbish country.”
henry_aniegboka_ added: “This shows that this present government dey see everything happening online, but only wan to work on their own terms.”