Kano govt bans illegal use of chainsaws for tree cutting

The Kano State Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has banned the illegal use of chainsaws for cutting, felling, or trimming of trees, saying any violator risks a fine of ₦500,000, confiscation, and possible imprisonment.

The ban is aimed at protecting the environment from indiscriminate deforestation, safeguarding community livelihoods, and ensuring the sustainability of natural resources.

Speaking at a press conference, the Commissioner of Environment and Climate Change, Dr Dahir Muhammad Hashim, said that “anybody found flouting the ban would face the fine of ₦500,000, confiscation, and possible imprisonment.”

According to him, “₦250,000 fine awaits violators per tree, along with replanting orders and confiscation, for felling trees without a permit.”

He therefore emphasised that “enforcement will be carried out in collaboration with security agencies, Local Government authorities, traditional institutions, and community forest monitors. Violations will attract strict penalties.”

The Commissioner further stated that “₦500,000 fine, confiscation, and possible imprisonment for operating chainsaws without a licence; ₦250,000 per tree, replanting orders, and confiscation for felling trees without a permit.”

He added that the ban is backed by legal provisions such as the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Section 20), which obliges state governments to protect and improve the environment, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) Act, 2007, and the National Environmental Regulations, 2014, on tree cutting and charcoal production.

He also said that “this ban is supported by the Nigerian Implementation Strategy under the NDC 3.0, targeting to cut deforestation by 60% and restore degraded forests through sustainable forest management.”

To give structure and fairness to the ban, the Commissioner said the Ministry is introducing the Chainsaw Usage Permit Framework (CUPF).

The framework, Hashim explained, regulates how chainsaws and tree felling will be permitted going forward.

According to him, a Chainsaw Operator Licence (CUPF-A) will be issued to all commercial chainsaw operators and logging businesses, which must register with the Ministry.

He added that registration is a one-off requirement, “with an annually renewable licence. Operators will be assigned official identification codes, and their chainsaws will be marked with a Ministry-issued number.”

The Commissioner posed alongside the PPRO of the Kano Police Command and directors of his ministry.

“For Tree Felling/Trimming Permit (CUPF-B), every tree felling, uprooting, or trimming activity, whether in reserved forests, free areas, business premises, schools, Local Government compounds, mosques, emirates, or private residences, requires a permit.

“A permit is issued only after inspection and verification by Forestry Officers. Each tree removed must be replaced with two to three new saplings as part of the reforestation plan. Fees collected will fund replanting and climate resilience programmes,” Hashim explained.

He noted that the Ministry had established a digital registry of licensed chainsaw operators and permits. All permits will carry a QR code for real-time verification.

He hinted that enforcement would be carried out in collaboration with security agencies, Local Government authorities, traditional institutions, and community forest monitors. Violations would attract strict penalties.

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