Zulum Bans Tree Felling, Declares Monthly Sanitation Day In Borno
The Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has signed two executive orders banning indiscriminate tree felling and instituted a monthly statewide environmental sanitation exercise.
The governor signed the orders on Saturday at the Government House in Maiduguri, where he noted the need to protect the environment for present and future generations.
Zulum described the executive actions as a response to increasing environmental abuse, particularly the unchecked felling of trees, which he warned is threatening the ecosystem and exposing the state to climate-related risks.
“These actions are rooted in the powers conferred on me under Sections 14(2) and 20 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended,” Zulum stated, stressing the constitutional backing of the orders.
Zulum cited the Felling of Tree Law, Cap 53, Laws of Borno 1994, and banned the cutting of trees across the state with immediate effect.
He said offenders will face strict penalties: a fine of N250,000 or up to three years’ imprisonment for a first offence and N500,000 or five years’ jail time for repeat violations.
The second executive order declared the first Saturday of every month as Sanitation Day, a mandatory environmental clean-up exercise across all communities in the state.
Zulum also warned that people who fail to participate in the monthly sanitation may be fined N100,000 or sentenced to two years in prison. Repeat offenders could face up to five years’ imprisonment.
“To ensure effective enforcement, the Sanitation Court has been empowered to prosecute violators accordingly,” the governor said.
The governor also disclosed plans for a third executive order that will regulate and curb illegal scrap metal scavenging and trading, a practice he said is fast becoming a security and environmental threat.
He directed the Borno State Police Command and other security and enforcement agencies to ensure full compliance with the new executive directives.
“These executive orders are not just laws; they are lifelines for our state’s future. We must act now to preserve our environment, promote hygiene, and uphold the rule of law,” Zulum said
Zulum Bans Tree Felling, Declares Monthly Sanitation Day In Borno is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
