The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, has signed two executive orders directed at prohibiting the indiscriminate felling of trees and a compulsory monthly statewide sanitation exercise.
This is development was announced via a statement released on the governor Zulu Facebook page.
Zulum noted that these actions were taken to address severe state of environmental abuse, most especially the undiscriminate felling of trees.
He also stressed the importance of securing the ecosystem and protecting future generations.
The statement reads, “Pursuant to the powers vested in me by Section 14 (2) and Section 20 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Felling of Tree Law, Cap 53, Laws of Borno State, 1994, and all other powers enabling me in that behalf, I, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, CON, mni, FNSE, the Executive Governor of Borno State, do hereby declare the felling of trees as prohibited forthwith.
“Therefore, by this declaration, any individual caught unlawfully cutting down trees shall, for a first offence, face a fine of N250,000 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding three years. For subsequent offences, the penalty shall be imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years, or a fine not exceeding N500,000, or both.”
Zulum gives additional power to the sanitation court
In addition, Zulum also signed an executive order approving additional powers to the sanitation court and announcing the monthly sanitation exercise compulsory while adding that anyone who disobeys this order shall be punished under the law.
This order was signed on Saturday at the Government house in Madiguri.
The statement further reads, “I, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, do hereby declare the first Saturday of every month as Sanitation Day, forthwith.
“Going forward, those found to have violated this order shall be punished with sentences not exceeding two years’ imprisonment and a fine of N100,000 for first-time offenders. Subsequent offenders shall be liable to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years.”
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