Bauchi govt warns against felling of trees for timber, charcoal

Bauchi State Government has warned that it will not hesitate in sanctioning and punishing anyone caught associated with indiscriminate felling of trees for timber and charcoal thereby increasing the rate of desertification in the state.

The warning was made on behalf of the government by the acting caretaker committee chairman of Ningi local government area, Saleh Kasko Nasaru at the public auction of six confiscated trucks loaded with bags of charcoal held at Burra community in the LGA Ningi on Monday.

Saleh Kasko said that the auction followed the ruling of the Magistrate Court order issued to the Council to publicly auction the seized items.

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The six trucks caught carrying about 1500 bags of charcoal were confiscated at Burra community as they tried to sneak to Kano State between 15th to 22nd February 2020.

He said that despite several efforts by the government in fighting the trend, there are a few unscrupulous elements undermining such efforts, warning that through any means government would ensure the full protection of the forests in the area beneficial to the coming generation.

Sale Kasko Nasaru also solicited the support from the traditional rulers and the community stakeholders to redouble their efforts in combating the menace just as he commended the efforts of the state governor, Sen Bala Abdulkadir Muhammad for his concern to curtail the act.

Also speaking, the District Head of Burra, Alh. Yau Shehu Abubakar, represented by Alh.Shehu Yakubu lamented that the act of felling of trees in the name of timber and charcoal remains a threat to the community but expressed hope that under the new administration in the LGA the culture would be fought accordingly.

Alh. Yau Shehu, who expressed dismay that soil erosion, desertification and land degradation are some of the challenges faced by the people of the area caused by indiscriminate felling of trees.

The traditional ruler, therefore, called on the state and the local governments to mount effective strategies for the war against the trend assuring of his continued support and cooperation to the state government to succeed in all its policies and programs.

The perpetrators of the act who were caught with the loads confessed that some of them are indigenes of Ningi LGA while some are from Shim village in Toro LGA and only passed through Burra with the charcoals for an easier way to reach Kano State which is the potential market.