Questions are mounting over the lack of functional public toilets across Lagos State, following intensified enforcement against open defecation by the state government.
The debate was triggered after an X user, Babatunde Gbadamosi (@BOGbadams) criticised the arrest of individuals for open defecation, arguing that enforcement must be matched with adequate infrastructure.
In a post on X, Gbadamosi asked:
“How many FUNCTIONAL public toilets per thousand of the population have you provided in the areas where arrests were made? Governance is not about throwing your weight around and denying people of their liberty because of your failures… It is about applying yourself and our taxes seriously and imaginatively to bring value to the people you’re meant to be serving.”
His comments came in response to updates shared by Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, who has been repeatedly posting videos and reports of individuals apprehended for open defecation.
In one of his recent posts, Wahab shared footage of a defaulter arrested at Ebute Ero, Lagos Island. He wrote:
“Our Anti-Open Defecation Squad was on early morning monitoring duty… maintaining a visible presence across the axis to prevent open defecation and other environmental infractions.
Open defecation is not just an environmental concern, it is a serious public health risk that we will not tolerate.”
Responding to criticism, Wahab stated that the state currently has about 1,710 public toilets. He added that more than 900 additional facilities are operated by licensed private investors, while Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has approved the construction of 200 more public toilets, which are presently under construction.
According to the commissioner:
“Across the State, we currently have about 1,710 public toilets… We are tackling open defecation through clear policies that promote sanitation infrastructure, sustained public awareness and strong collaboration with stakeholders.”
He further noted that the siting of the facilities is carefully planned to ensure sustainability and protect aquifers as part of broader water management objectives.
Addressing personal criticism, Wahab stated that governance is “not driven by emotion, sentiment or noise,” but by “responsibility, data and long-term planning.”
Public Demands for Transparency
Despite the figures released by the commissioner, several social media users have demanded greater transparency regarding the exact location and functionality of the toilets.
One user, Ibraheem Akinpelu, via Facebook wrote:
“The banter no concern me, pls can we have a list of the 1,710 government constructed public toilets and their location.”
Another user, Adebayo Peter Rockad, questioned whether the facilities are proportionate to population density in certain areas:
“The available public toilets are not commensurate with the population of people per area. What’s the number of government public toilets at Iyana Ipaja–Egbeda–Isheri–Igando–Iyana Iba to the population of people in this local area?”
Similarly, Oluwoye Moses queried:
“Please mention where those public toilets are. How many public toilets do we have in the whole of Ajah, Lekki, VI and its environ? It’s not by giving figures.”
The repeated demand from residents centres on publication of a comprehensive, location-based breakdown of the reported 1,710 facilities.
Wider Environmental Concerns
The sanitation debate is unfolding amid broader concerns about environmental conditions in parts of Lagos. Earlier reports by PurpleWorld Media highlighted complaints that refuse dumps and waste accumulation have increased in areas such as Isolo, Jakande Gate, Igando and Ikotun.
While the state government insists that enforcement is necessary to safeguard public health and restore environmental order, critics argue that arrests alone cannot resolve sanitation challenges without accessible and evenly distributed facilities.
As enforcement operations continue, attention remains fixed on whether the state will publish detailed data to substantiate its claims and address public concerns over the adequacy and functionality of its public sanitation infrastructure.