Court sentences 4 to 3 months imprisonment over illegal felling of trees in Kano

From: Mustapha Adamu, Kano

A magistrate court, sitting at Normansland in Kano, presided over by Justice Auwalu Yusuf has sentenced one Jibril Adamu and three others for illegal tree felling.
The defendants were charged to court by the Kano State Ministry of Environment and Climate Change after following their arrest for illegally felling trees at Sharada area, Municipal Local Government in the state.
The defendants were prosecuted by Barrister Bahijjah H. Aliyu and were found guilty of violating Kano State Forestry Law, which prohibits cutting down trees without authorization.
Delivering the judgement, Mr Yusuf found the four defendants guilty and sentenced them to three months imprisonment each, with an option of a N40,000 fine.
In addition, the judge ordered them to pay N50,000 compensation for the damage caused.
Commenting on the judgement, Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Dr. Dahiru M. Hashim, commended the verdict.
In a statement on Monday in Kano, the commissioner stressed that illegal tree felling undermines the state’s afforestation efforts and threatens environmental sustainability.
“Every tree cut down illegally robs our city of clean air, shade, and climate resilience,” Dr. Hashim stated.
“This ruling sends a strong message that Kano will not tolerate environmental vandalism,” he said.
Mr Hashim urged residents of the state to report illegal logging and other environmental offences via reports@environment.kn.gov.ng, or through the Ministry’s website: https://environment.kn.gov.ng/report-issue.