By Zubairu Idris
Katsina – The Katsina State Government has warned the people in the state to desist from indiscriminate felling of trees and encroachment into government forest reserves.
Alhaji Mustapha Inuwa, the Secretary to the Government of the State, gave the warning on Monday in Katsina, while addressing Joint Forest Patrol Team.
The teams were set up to ensure total compliance with the agreements reached under the State Dialogue/Amnesty programme on cattle rustling.
“Recently, some Village Heads were suspended for allegedly being involved in encroaching the forest reserves in their domains.
“Also, the law prohibiting indiscriminate felling of trees and hunting throughout the state still exists and government is determined to bring violators to book irrespective of their status in the society,’’ he warned.
Inuwa also cautioned the repentant cattle rustlers to desist from taking law into their hands.
“Do not take laws into your hands, you must report violators of any amnesty arrangements to the appropriate authorities for prompt action,’’ he said.
He explained that the joint patrol teams were formed to ensure sustainable peace in the areas traumatized by the menace of cattle rustling in the past.
The secretary to the state government said that the government would continue to support the patrol teams for the attainment of the desired goals.
He appreciated the work of all the patrol groups working at Faskari, Dandume, Sabuwa, Kankara, Danmusa, Batsari, Safana and Jibia Local Government Areas.
In his remarks, the leaders of the Joint forest patrol groups, Captain Muhammad Sani, called for the deployment of additional security personnel to enable them provide adequate security in the affected areas.
The New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that, following the success of the programme initiated by the state government, hundreds of cattle rustlers had repented and surrendered their weapons to allow peace in the state.