Man hit with severe penalties for committing crime on public road: 'The offender was caught red-handed'

A Nigerian man who was caught on camera heaving trash from his hatchback to the side of the road in Lagos State initially seems to defy physics.

As seen in a YouTube video shared by The Eagle Online, it seems nearly impossible that the mound of garbage beside his ride once fit inside the vehicle.

But the dastardly stunt landed Olawale Ogunbadejo in jail for the simple reason that the world isn't his trash can.

To be fair, it's not entirely clear whether all of the garbage was his. But there's no doubt that at least a decent chunk belonged to him.

"The offender was caught red-handed disposing refuse indiscriminately in public, thereby undermining the government's efforts toward achieving a cleaner and more hygienic Lagos," Tokunbo Wahab, Lagos Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, said in a statement, per The Eagle.

"His arrest is a clear demonstration of the state's resolve to enforce environmental laws and restore sanity to public spaces."

Littering is a problem in the United States, too. A comprehensive study by Keep America Beautiful from 2020 estimated that there were 50 billion pieces of trash along the country's roads and waterways. That's 152 pieces of garbage per person.

Unsurprisingly, 90% of people surveyed said they think that littering is a problem in their state.

Plastic pollution is particularly troubling because the material can take up to 1,000 years to decompose, per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. As plastic breaks apart, it turns into harmful microplastics, which are infiltrating our food, water, soil, and bodies.

Scientists are studying the health repercussions, including possible cardiovascular disease risks, according to research published in the journal Nature Medicine.

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The Nigerian litterer isn't alone in disrespecting nature. Earlier this year, a Los Angeles man was accused of causing $350,000 in damage by cutting down eight trees in the city with a chainsaw.

According to Wahab, Ogunbadejo will have to answer for unloading his garbage in Nigeria.

"The suspect will immediately be prosecuted in accordance with the relevant law of the State," he said.

You can help clean things up in your neighborhood simply by picking up litter. Earthday.org can help you find a trash-collecting effort to join.

Meanwhile, highlighting news about extreme cases is a good way to talk to your friends and family about the impact of harmful littering and how to help.

Using less plastic can prevent one of the most common types of rubbish from causing harm. Ditching throwaway plastic bottles in favor of a reusable one can save you a load of cash, too.

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