By Crystal Ugoeze
A 53-year-old woman, Nelly Monday, has been sentenced to one month in prison for dumping refuse into a drainage channel in the Meiran area of Lagos during rainfall.
Monday was arrested on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, after she was allegedly caught disposing of waste in the drainage during the rain.
She was subsequently arraigned before the Magistrate Court sitting at Bolade, Oshodi, where she pleaded guilty to the environmental offence.
Following her guilty plea, the court convicted and sentenced her to one month in prison.
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), in a statement issued on Thursday by its Director of Public Affairs, Mukaila Sanusi, said the conviction should serve as a warning to residents who engage in indiscriminate waste disposal.
The Authority particularly warned against dumping refuse in drainage channels and other unauthorised locations, stressing that such practices constitute environmental offences punishable under the law.
LAWMA said it would continue to collaborate with relevant enforcement agencies to identify and sanction environmental offenders across Lagos State.
It urged residents to dispose of their waste responsibly by using approved waste disposal channels.
The Authority also appealed to Lagos residents to avoid practices that could obstruct drainage systems and contribute to flooding, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.