Kwara and Niger States are to strengthen existing collaborations to ensure adequate protection of lives and properties in the two states.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State made this known in a statement on Thursday in Ilorin.
The statement was issued by Alhaji Bashir Adigun, Special Adviser Political Communication to the governor.
AbdulRazaq, who expressed grave concern with reports of degradation of Multi-Billion Naira natural endowments by some criminal elements in parts of Baruten Local Government, said he would reach out to his Niger State counterpart for maximum security collaboration to put an end to such criminal activities.
The Governor disclosed that Kwara and Niger States accounted for 60 per cent of Shea butter production in the country, regretting that deforestation activities by some of the criminal elements in parts of the state constituted serious danger to preservation of natural endowments.
He lamented the increasing exportation of firewood and charcoal from the state, stressing that the state government will deepen mass enlightenment on the use of gas in place of firewood and charcoal to protect the forest.