Jigawa court convicts five for illegal tree felling
Jigawa State Environmental Court Convicts Five for Illegal Tree Cutting
DUTSE, Nigeria — The Environmental Court in Jigawa State has convicted and sentenced five individuals for illegally cutting down trees, a violation of the state’s Climate Change Law.
The ruling was announced in a statement from Abbas Rufai Wangara, the Director of Publicity and Protocol Matters for the Jigawa State Judiciary. Presiding Magistrate Hassan Yau issued the judgment following a case brought by the Commissioner of Police against the defendants: Sale Yahaya, Sani Wada, Idris Haladu, Dauda Harisu, and Mutari Musa.
According to court records, the defendants, who reside in Andaza Town and Kwarin Makera Village in the Dutse and Kiyawa local government areas, were found guilty of unlawfully harvesting timber in contravention of Jigawa State Climate Change Law No. 19 of 2019.
Each defendant received a one-year prison sentence. However, the court permitted the option of a fine of 20,000 Naira each as an alternative to imprisonment.
Additionally, the court ordered the forfeiture of all timber logs seized from the site of the illegal activity, which were presented as evidence during the trial. The court specified that the confiscated logs would be disposed of only after the statutory period for filing an appeal has elapsed, in compliance with legal protocols.
Wangara emphasized that the ruling serves as a warning to those engaged in unlawful tree felling throughout the state. He reaffirmed the Jigawa State Government’s commitment to enforcing environmental regulations designed to combat deforestation and safeguard natural resources for future generations.
