Nigerian man jailed for storing human faeces outside his home

Neighbours said the stench from the property had become so overwhelming that it was impossible to relax at home. Nigerian man jailed for storing human faeces outside his home in Kano Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. A man standing in front of a home with several bags in front of the house Nigerian man jailed for storing human faeces outside his home Neighbours say the smell was making life unbearable A man in northern Nigeria has been sentenced to two weeks in prison after neighbours complained that he was storing bags of human faeces outside his home, which they said made life unbearable. Mohammed Saidu was taken to court in the city of Kano after residents reported the foul smell to environmental officials. Magistrate Halima Wali ordered that he be detained for 14 days and fined 100,000 naira (£55; $74). She described his actions as highly inconsiderate and a threat to his neighbours' health. Saidu, whose job is to empty sceptic tanks, is believed to have been selling the faeces to farmers to use as fertiliser - a common practice in the region, but which is rarely publicly acknowledged. "I think he had close to 50 bags of faeces the first time the complaint reached me," local chief Musa Abdullahi told the BBC. One of those who complained, Samaila Inuwa, told the BBC that they had initially tried to resolve the matter privately. "We spoke to him about it but he didn't stop," Inuwa said. Local chief Musa Abdullahi said he had spoken to Saidu after it was first reported to him A Nigerian local chief Musa Abdullahi wearing a traditional white gown and a cap In court, Saidu pleaded guilty to the charge of endangering public health. Before delivering her ruling, Magistrate Wali visited the property to see the bags of faeces for herself. She ordered Saidu to clear all the waste from the premises and promise never to repeat the offence. Inuwa said life had already improved for residents since the case was brought to court. "Finally, our neighbourhood is enjoyable once more without any bad smell," he said. The local chief said he had intervened when Saidu started storing the waste. "When he first started it, I spoke to him about it and he packed them out [removed them] and stopped," he said. "I did not know when he resumed." He added that neighbours had chosen to bypass him this time and go directly to the authorities. Abdullahi said his own home was far enough away that he had not been affected by the smell, but he understood the residents' frustration. "My mission is for everybody in this area to live in peace," he said. "When he is released, we will talk to him and the neighbours again." Nigerian Military officers surround Mrs Rabe Abubakar who was rescued after weeks in captivity Nigerian army frees widow of ex-general who died in captivity Aliyu Abdullahi Isa, a Fulani herder wearing a white knitted hat. Behind him are white cattle grazing 'Peace is a gradual thing': How land, cattle and identity fuel a deadly Nigerian conflict A woman wearing a mustard-coloured robe, seen from behind, walking through a street in Nukuru with mud-walled buildings on either side. Living in fear of Lakurawa - the militant group Trump targeted in Nigeria strikes A woman looking at her mobile phone and the graphic BBC News Africa Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica John Steenhuisen is one of South Africa's best-known politicians after leading the DA for seven years. Health facilities have come under attack during the current outbreak as a result of misinformation and fear. Protesters have set 30 June as the date for all undocumented migrants to leave the country. Maj Gen Rabe Abubakar and his wife Amina were abducted in north-west Nigeria at the end of last month. Maj Gen Rabe Abubakar's death highlights continuing security challenges facing parts of the country. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's 21-month old son died in a Lagos hospital, which she says is trying to stop an inquest into the circumstances of his death. Bola Tinubu was addressing the nation on Democracy Day, marking the return to civilian rule in 1999. Nigeria is the latest African state to repatriate citizens following reports of xenophobic attacks.