Kebbi State Government has arrested 16 people for illegal cutting of trees, with the seizure of 50,000 bags of charcoal and 7,400 pieces of timber in Ka’oje forest, in Bagudo LGA.
Briefing newsmen in Birnin Kebbi, Commissioner for Environment, Musa Muhammad Tungulawa, warned that the government would continue to strictly enforce the laws against deforestation.
He said, tree falling is harmful and hazardous to the environment, climate change is exacerbated by deforestation with dire consequences on humanity and livelihood”,
“The confiscated charcoal and timber will be auctioned by a committee under the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry”,
Tungulawa warned, that illegal cutting of trees remains prohibited in all nooks and crannies of Kebbi State, and appropriate sanctions will be applied on violators.
The Commissioner announced that Governor Nasir Idris has approved a scheme introduced to provide land and tree seedlings to timber merchants to grow trees for raw materials for their trade all season.
“Additionally, money will be provided to them as capital under a compassionate loan agreement that requires the merchants to repay 60% while the government will shoulder 40%”, Tungulawa added.
On Forest Guards protecting the forest reserves, the Commissioner explained that, their number was inadequate.
“Unfortunately, some unscrupulous elements among them were conniving with trespassers to embark on illegal falling of trees for monetary benefits”,
He warned that, the government will crackdown on them in accordance with the stipulated laws”.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
