Lagos Island battles Styrofoam waste, uncovered manholes, open defecation (PHOTOS)

Residents on Lagos Island are facing worsening environmental and safety hazards as Styrofoam litter, open manholes, and open defecation plague major streets.

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Despite Lagos State’s ban on Styrofoam and other single-use plastics—including takeaway packs, plates, cups, water sachets, nylon bags, plastic bottles, and food wrappers—these non-biodegradable materials continue to litter Broad Street, Itafaji, and Adeniji Adele, heightening fears of blocked drains and flooding during the rainy season.

On Tuesday, PREMIUM TIMES observed residents along Ibraimoh-Igbo Street in Itafaji openly defecating and dumping food waste into shallow gutters.

“I have been enduring this filthy-smelling environment for a while. You can see elderly women defecating openly and washing themselves where the gutter runs past many houses,” Gift Paul, a resident who moved into the neighbourhood in January, told our reporter.

Beyond sanitation, safety hazards also abound. A manhole near the Lagos Island East Council on Broad Street has remained uncovered, while others are crudely filled with sand.

**Open Manhole along Broad Street, Lagos Island on Tuesday**

“Last week, I saw someone place a tyre to mark the manhole, but it has since been removed. Anyone can fall into it—not just motorists,” said commuter Chizoba Okere.

The Lagos State Government began full enforcement of its single-use plastics ban in July. Shops and outlets found selling or storing prohibited items—including Styrofoam packs, disposable cups, plastic straws, plastic cutlery, and nylon bags under 40 microns—risk being sealed and prosecuted.

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Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the policy aims to reduce pollution and blocked drainage, stressing that enforcement would boost sustainable packaging jobs rather than cause losses.

Citizen activism has also driven action. In September, broadcast journalist Deji Bademosi mounted a billboard highlighting a dangerous open manhole near Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja. Within 24 hours, the state government dispatched officials to cover it.

**Tinubu Square, Lagos Island on Wednesday**

“I hope the state government will react to cover all other uncovered manholes across the city,” Mr Bademosi said in a Facebook video.

The incident underscores growing public concern over sanitation and safety on Lagos Island. Residents are calling for stricter enforcement of environmental laws, clearing of blocked drains, and urgent repairs to open manholes.

PREMIUM TIMES contacted both Mr Wahab and the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) separately on Tuesday via text and WhatsApp messages for their reactions. But as of press time, neither office had responded.